April 14, 2025 • 20 mins
Piney is joined by former NZ golf professional and now top coach Marcus Wheelhouse who watched on at Augusta this morning as Rory McIlroy finally won an elusive green jacket at the 89th Masters to complete a career Grand Slam. How did he recover from the disappointment of missing a winning putt on 18 to recompose himself for the playoff against Justin Rose? And where does this place McIlroy in terms of golf's greatest ever players?
Elijah Fa'afiu pops into The Chamber to discuss the Warriors' woes, Liam Lawson's latest outing and the boys ask the question: Who are Super Rugby favourites with six games to go?
Plus Piney picks out a bright spot in the Phoenix's difficult season.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcast now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks It be Hi there,
Welcome into a new week.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Welcome into a fresh episode of the Sports Fix podcast,
in association with GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most trusted
home builder.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It's Monday, April fourteen. I'm Jason Pine. What incredible drama
we saw unfold.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
On the last afternoon at the Masters at Augusta, Rory
McElroy finally winning that elusive green jacket, beating Justin Rose
in a playoff. One of our top former professionals and
one of our top current coaches, Marcus Wheelhouse, was on
course to watch it all unfold. He joins us on
the Sports Fix podcast to reflect on a quite incredible
(00:59):
afternoon of golf.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Elijah for you was in the chamber.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
We talk Warriors, we talked Super rug B, we talked
Liam Lawson, and I've got some thoughts on what I
think has been a bright spark in a rather difficult
season for the Wellington Phoenix men, and the.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Latest sports news too. So let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
In other news.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Let's get underway with some of the big sports stories
around today. We'll leave the golf for a bit and
go to Formula one.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Mister past three wins for far Ring, Cram Pree.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Ain't Chis McLaren their first ever victory.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Here are the King.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Here Pastree moves to second and the Driver's Championship. George
Russell's second for Mercedes. Pstre's teammate and championship leader Lando
Norris was thirdly and Laws and finished in seventeenth place.
Warriors co captain Mitch Barnett feels for senior squad members
let the team down and they're forty two to fourteen
hiding by Melbourne storm yesterday.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
Cove our younger boys showed us how to tackle properly.
So come from us senior boys and just our starters.
We just we need to sort of set the time
for them. And I put a lot onus on myself.
So yeah, there's plenty to take you out. I mean,
you know when we held the ball defended will we
looked really good winners.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Devin Liverpool Are two won Premier League Football win over
west Ham, extending their competition lead to thirteen points. An
eighty six minute own goal gave west Ham an equalize
if before Virgil Van Dyke headed in the winner. Manager
Arna Slott says the team stepped up once west Ham equalized, being.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Again we saw the pushing again. The fans were really
loud at that moment of time and already to chance
from Ludshell. Some good count press moments.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
We led to the corner.
Speaker 5 (02:33):
Keck and then we shaved a big set piece for
a very important moment.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
News get Abdion It's Sports Fix with Jason.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Lyne Any slim hopes that the Wellington Phoenix men or
women would take part in finals football this season were
extinguished officially over the weekend, the Wellington Phoenix women losing
to Canberray yesterday they now cannot make the top six,
and the Wellington Phoenix men well it seemed an outside
chance anyway, it has for the last few weeks and
(03:03):
finally now mathematically they cannot make the top six either
after their three to two loss Alburn victory on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
For the men, off the back of what was their.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Best ever season last season, this has been a pretty
challenging one for Phoenix fans and for the club and
the players and coaching staff.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Themselves.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I'm sure they simply haven't replaced the quality that they
lost from last season squad, the likes of Ben Old,
Alex Paulson, bojed Ar krajev Oscars Evada and others. They've
brought in new players, they've promoted some young talent, but
they haven't yet reached the level required to challenge for
a top six spot again.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
But in amongst it.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
All, there have been a few bright sparks, and one
in particular, Corbyn Piper. I'd almost wager that you would
not have heard of Corbyn Piper probably before this current
A League football season. Certainly if you weren't from the
Birkenhead club, you would not.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Have heard of him.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
When he signed for the club, it was almost a
little bit of a mystery as to what his best
position might be. He played in central midfield for Birkenhead,
but looked more like a defender this season. He's been
used in a variety of different roles by coach John
calo Ittaliano, and every time he has been asked to
do something he has done it. He has been, as
(04:21):
I say, one of the bright sparks of this season.
I remember, for a former Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick once
saying about Ben Sigmund that you can't have a team
full of artists, you also need some panel beaters. And
I think you get the gist of what Ernie Merrick
was driving at. Those players who will just give you
everything every single time. They're not the flashiest, most technically
(04:44):
skilled players in the world, but they are no less
valuable than those players. In fact, in many ways they
are more important. They are fully committed, one hundred percenters.
And Corbyn Piper to me, is very much like Ben
Sigmund used to be. He's like Ben Sigmund two point zero.
He is a panel beater and that is meant in
(05:05):
the utmost way of a compliment for co Piper, who,
as well as goals and his wholeheartedness, has added significantly
to this Phoenix side this season. So as the season
draws to its close with no finals football, at least
we can draw a little bit of consolation from the
latest panel beater to come through the Phoenix's ranks.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, It's Sportspecks with Jason Vine.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
On the Sports Fix podcast. Incredible fair to unbelievable drama
on the last afternoon at Augusta, as Golf's eighty ninth
Masters Tournament decided via the opening sudden death playoff hole.
Overnight leader Rory McElroy seemed to have everything under control
and moved from his overnight score of twelve under to
fourteen under ten holes into his final round, but Justin Rose,
(05:57):
who had started the day seven shots behind McElroy, had
the most incredible last eight holes, carting six birdies and
two bogies to get to eleven under. McElroy mean time,
dropped a shot on eleven, double bogeie thirteen and bogied
fourteen to drop back to ten under, then birdied fifteen
and seventeen to retake a one shot lead. Heading to
(06:19):
the eighteenth, he hit his second into the bunker, played
a terrific third shot to set up a short put
for par, but missed agonizingly to the left to make bogie,
dropping him back to eleven under and feeding him into
a playoff with Justin Rose. Rose made par on the
first playoff hole before McElroy putt it in to win
his first Green jacket and become just the sixth man
(06:42):
to win all four majors and complete a career grand
slam Let's bring in former world number one ranked amateur
to a play for twelve years, one of New Zealand's
leading coaches, and a man who was at Augusta Marcus Wheelhouse.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Marcus, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I'm not quite sure where to start, but maybe we
can start at the end.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
How on earth.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Would Rory McElroy have composed himself for the playoff after
missing the part to win it on eighteen the first time?
Speaker 6 (07:12):
Well, just I mean, I just yeah, I've been mate
with great difficulty rather than me. But I think that
you know that that emotion shooting now came out after
after he finally did it. But I think he's been
he's been very complated and very he is wording in
the media, has been very about very much about you know,
just that whole keeping the present and not sorry of
(07:33):
looking at for the boards and everything else. So made
it would have been an absolute huge mountain to climb
for him, because you know, I mean, I just go
back to pontests, you know last year when when him
and Bryson down the stretch and you know he's missed
a couple of sort of pretty vital puts on those
last year holes there at Pinehurst, and unfortunately for he
was a nervous system a couple of times this year
(07:56):
as well, So maybe he certainly had a lot of
a lot of mountains to climb. That's just shut.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
What did you say when he started to try us
strike trouble on his back nine? What did you see
from him during that little stretch where he where he
had a had a he dropped the shot on eleven,
double bogue, thirteen, bogie, fourteen back to ten under What
did you see during that little stretch that you know
from from Roy McElroy.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
Well, I mean he's I mean from a from yeah.
I mean, it's pretty hard to fold him in the
way that he strikes a golf for but there's certainly
a certain pattern that seems to come out when he
is unpressure and when he does fire. And I mean
when you get a body that fires as fast as
he does, it's pretty hard to think up. And that's
(08:42):
you know where like you know, that shot on regulation
in the seventy second hole where he just left to
the right seems to be his bogie if you want
to call it that, or or his nemesis, and then
you know, I just take it back to seventeen on
on even Saturday. You know, like you see his putting stroke,
just get very quick through the through the ball or
(09:03):
change paces. Maybe sometimes it's quick, sometimes it's slow. So
I mean, look, everybody's got their thing, but I I mean, look,
you can't fold him as a players and he's amazing,
So I don't mean to sound critical, but yeah, I
mean he's just he's constantly trying to control obviously in
the motion. I think this is probably this would down
has been as the hardest victory. He hasn't won a
(09:24):
major for a number of years, and he's lost quite
a few. He's been polarized in the media in the
last few years with this whole of you know, sort
of you know PGA Tour battle if you want to
call that. So, yeah, there's been a lot. I think
there's been a lot going on. You know that he's
got a divorce in it Rey Kindling with his advice.
There's been a lot going on in Roy's life.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Indeed, well, yeah, you can understand the emotion at the
end when that part did finally drop. Just on Justin Rose.
He started the day seven shots behind. The most extraordinary
last eight hole six Bood he's in two bogue, he's
got up to eleven under.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
What did you see from him today?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (10:02):
Look, I just think it's amazing. You know, he's forty
I think forty four is me. You know, he finished
second last year in the open at Troon and he
just he just keeps on surprising. You know. Really, I
think I'm not surprising, but just yeah, to be doing
what he's doing, and that's a hell around that land
and then to Bertie last. I mean I was sitting
(10:23):
on eighteen yesterday for probably a good hour and a
half and you know, I mean there was there was
certainly more boats and pars. It's a tough hole, you know,
and from you get up and do what he did
and under that pressure knowing you've got to do, you know,
to sort of try and post a score. No phenomenal
stuff from from Rosie as well. I thought it was
(10:44):
a real he could be you know, should he did
anything wrong, you know, he should be proud of himself.
As he sat there and watched his maitland. I mean,
I'm sure he will have doing himself.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
But you know what I'm saying, of course, absolutely, and
that was clear at the end as well, and Bryson
d Chambeau starting the day outright second peered with macl
why Bertie the second actually to briefly take the lead,
but went downhill from their unhappy final round, shooting three over.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Just the day too big for Bryson today. What did
what did your assist from? From him? Today?
Speaker 6 (11:13):
I heard because I'm a little bit out of a
loop with with media science in the because you can't
have phones or anything in that in the and I've
just got back. But I don't know. I heard something
about him being on the range to the way out
last night. Was that true? I don't know. I mean,
it sounds like to me his load for the week
(11:35):
was pretty high. And and I think I think from
a from you know, from my point of view as
a coach and and expire you so you think it's
only a certain amount of injury devils and and I
think you just beat it out. It's you know, it
is it is high energy stuff that you're playing out begun.
You're out there for a long time. And to me,
(11:55):
it sounds like he just almost worked himself too hard
for the week and and just lost energy. You know,
It's it's tough then to be you know, toy and
fight all those emotions, and you've got to be so
you know, top of what your self talkers and all
these different things that sit around pressure and golf and
also the physical side of things as well, you know,
(12:15):
like he is. But that so yeah to me that
I don't know, that's my That was my sort of reflection.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Thanks so much for your insight, Marcus, really appreciate it.
Marcus Wheelhouse joining us on the Sports Fox podcast.
Speaker 7 (12:27):
The Chamber is now in session on sports Fix on
the Sports Flex podcast, Let's Pop Inside the Chamber the
People's Chamber on a Monday, joined by multi media journalists
with news talks, HEBNZ ME and probably a bunch of
other platforms as well.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Elijah for you. Good to see you, Elijah. How was
your weekend mate? Did you enjoy yourself across the last
couple of days.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
I did, especially across the sporting environment. This morning. I
don't think I've ever been stressed watching someone's final round,
and I did with Rory Macroy on that back nine,
But great to see them play out their wind and
obviously so many other sporting moments to talk about, which
I'm sure we'll delve into.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Let's do that.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
You're right though, I'm an incredible drama at Augusta And yeah,
great to see him finally get there, green jacket.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
To pop in his wardrobe.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
The Warriors, Elijah, I said to somebody this morning, I'm
not sure that I will ever see the Warriors beat
Melbourne Storm in my lifetime. I had high hopes going
and they were extinguished after about twenty minutes.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Yeah, at this point, I think it's a curse every
time anytime the Warriors come up against the Melbourne Storm.
Seventeen losses in the row against the same team, not
a streak you would like to have, but I mean
thirty six zero in that first half. There were probably
a couple of moments in there that were key. One
was losing James Fisher Harris to that pictoral injury. Losing
someone with the caliber that he has as a front
(13:47):
roller and as a leader as well was a big
loss for them. But also that Jackson Fordson binning as well,
because I think the Storm scored three tries in about
eight minutes during that period, so when there were down
to twelve men, So a couple of key moments there.
But I guess if there was a positive to take
out was that second half performance. They outscored the Storm
fourteen to six, so probably something they could hope to
(14:08):
build off, but at the same time, losing to the
Storm once again not ideal if you're a Warriors fan.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
The Storm are good, though, aren't they?
Speaker 3 (14:15):
They are clearly the best side in twenty twenty five,
aren't they.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Oh, they are.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
They've proven this point. I think they're one of the
most one of the best attacking sides of the season.
They've proven that their appotent force. It was like watching
him play touch footy out there, the way they were
able to break the line and some of their speed
that they have outside and the outside backs, and yeah,
I mean, it's just the class that they have under
Craig Bellamy. And we've always known this wing Bellamy is
(14:40):
in charge of a team and no matter what his squad,
what the makeup of the squad is, they're always going
to prove to be tough to beat and prove to
be contenders. So yeah, they're a very good squad Melbourne.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
It does make this weekend coming quite important, doesn't it
for the Warriors. Its similar to when they lost their
very first game of the season against the Raiders, over
in Vegas and coming home, they really had to bought
in a good performance against the Sea Eagles at home
and did winning that thirty six sixteen the Bronco. It's
third place Broncos coming to go Media Stadium on Saturday night.
(15:12):
They did lose to the Roosters over the weekend, the Broncos,
but that's quite a big game for Andrew Webster's team,
isn't it.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Yeah for sure, and I guess it's another points or
another game in the season to sort of see how
this Warrior's side bounces back from this adversity. They managed
to pass that first test after they lost and lost
in Las Vegas, and now this is just another time
to prove that they can overcome such a big loss
against the Storm and bounce back against the Broncos. So
(15:41):
we'll see how the Warriors react after what happened at
the weekend.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Another really really interesting Super Rugby weekend, as they always
seem to have been this season, with results that we expected,
results that we didn't expect. I certainly didn't expect the
Chiefs to lose to the war Atars. The other ones
I guess went almost the way I thought, although I
thought the Hurricanes might beat the Crusaders. What has given us, though,
(16:06):
Elijah is this table Crusaders twenty eight Chiefs, twenty seven
Brumby's twenty three Reds, twenty three Waratars twenty one Force twenty.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
That's the top six.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Then Highland is seventeen, Hurricanes, sixteen Blue sixteen one Pacific
At fifteen, I think we can forget about the Fiji
and draw with seven points, who are super rugby favorites now.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
I actually still think the Chiefs are only because they
are two losses this season, and part of me wasn't
surprised that the Waratars beat the Chiefs just because the
Wartars have been really good at home this season, but
they're a completely different team when they're on the road.
They get absolutely outclassed whenever they're on the road, but
at home they're a really good side. And then the
(16:47):
Chiefs other loss the season was in wet conditions in Fiji,
which is always a tough place to play. Other than that,
I think the Chiefs are still in my mind the
top contenders, but I think the gap has definitely closed
with the Crusaders and those three four Australian teams who
are rounding up the top six right behind them.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yeah, I agree. I still think the Chiefs are favorite
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
I think there's a body of thought that maybe the
Crusaders are now. I think we'll find out quite a
bit about the Crusaders we are every week, and probably
a little bit about the Blues as well when the
Crusaders play the Blues. That's not a bad way to
spend good Friday, is it watching the Crusaders against the Blues.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Well, it would be a great Friday if the Blues one,
for sure and carry on that momentum. But I think
with the Crusaders, Yeah, There's been points of the season
where I've thought to myself, are the Crusaders back? And
part of me still isn't fully convinced for some reason.
But I think if they do put on a strong
performance and beat the Blues, who are obviously trying to
(17:44):
build some momentum of their own, then yeah, I will
definitely class the Crusaders as one of the top contenders
in Super Rugby.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
I just like that there are so many teams in
contention heading into the last six games. Everyone's played eight games.
Now we can make a genuine assessment and apart from
the Drewer. Everybody still I think is still in contention
for the top six. So that's exactly what we've been
after just before you depart the chamber. Liam Lawson thirteenth.
We cross thirteenth at the Bahrain Grand Prix this morning,
(18:10):
but then dropped down to seventeenth after he was given
penalties for twice bumping into Nico Holkenberg. Do we just
kind of have to accept that Liam Lawson's gonna finish
in the teens, the mid teens most of the time.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
You would hope not.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
And obviously some of these situations that he found himself in,
like those penalties in Bahrain, you can't really escape. But
I think had he crossed the line in thirteenth, that
would have been a positive development of some sort, had
given that he started from seventeenth. But for him now,
I guess the challenge is finding well, one come getting
(18:46):
through a race without any mishaps, and then two making
sure he gets into the point scoring and somehow. So
obviously he has another weekend to back up in Saudi Arabia,
so we'll see how he goes there, but hopefully that's
not the case where he's finishing in the mid teens.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
I just looked at him again this morning in the footage.
I sore, and I mean, the car's not as fast
as the other ones and he's still early in his career.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
I hope you're right.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
I hope that he finds a way to get himself
into the points. But then, really, racing Balls, do they
get that many points? They don't really do. They don't
very often, regardless of who's driving those cars finished in
the top ten do they No?
Speaker 4 (19:27):
Not really like they're always they're basically the junior's him
for Red Bull, So I think they're more seen as
the developments for Red Bull. And you know, if they
do manage to get points every now and then, then
that's a success. But I think it's really about making
sure whoever the drivers are in Racing Balls gets the
most experience out of being in Formula one. But I
guess if you're Liam Lawson, you just have to make
the most out of the situation that he's found himself in.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Okay, Well that's us on the chamber for today. I've
checked the diary Elijah in. Next Monday is Easter Monday,
when I don't think we're scheduled to do it podcasts.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
So you can have the.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Weekend off next weekend, we'll certainly the podcast part of it.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I will too, the podcast part of it.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Let's reconvene in the People's Chamber in a fortnight from
shall we yes?
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Sounds good? Thank you binding.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
This is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports news
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Speaker 3 (20:17):
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Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks It be Hi there,
Welcome into a new week.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Welcome into a fresh episode of the Sports Fix podcast,
in association with GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most trusted
home builder.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
It's Monday, April fourteen. I'm Jason Pine. What incredible drama
we saw unfold.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
On the last afternoon at the Masters at Augusta, Rory
McElroy finally winning that elusive green jacket, beating Justin Rose
in a playoff. One of our top former professionals and
one of our top current coaches, Marcus Wheelhouse, was on
course to watch it all unfold. He joins us on
the Sports Fix podcast to reflect on a quite incredible
(00:59):
afternoon of golf.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Elijah for you was in the chamber.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
We talk Warriors, we talked Super rug B, we talked
Liam Lawson, and I've got some thoughts on what I
think has been a bright spark in a rather difficult
season for the Wellington Phoenix men, and the.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Latest sports news too. So let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
In other news.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Let's get underway with some of the big sports stories
around today. We'll leave the golf for a bit and
go to Formula one.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Mister past three wins for far Ring, Cram Pree.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Ain't Chis McLaren their first ever victory.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Here are the King.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Here Pastree moves to second and the Driver's Championship. George
Russell's second for Mercedes. Pstre's teammate and championship leader Lando
Norris was thirdly and Laws and finished in seventeenth place.
Warriors co captain Mitch Barnett feels for senior squad members
let the team down and they're forty two to fourteen
hiding by Melbourne storm yesterday.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
Cove our younger boys showed us how to tackle properly.
So come from us senior boys and just our starters.
We just we need to sort of set the time
for them. And I put a lot onus on myself.
So yeah, there's plenty to take you out. I mean,
you know when we held the ball defended will we
looked really good winners.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Devin Liverpool Are two won Premier League Football win over
west Ham, extending their competition lead to thirteen points. An
eighty six minute own goal gave west Ham an equalize
if before Virgil Van Dyke headed in the winner. Manager
Arna Slott says the team stepped up once west Ham equalized, being.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Again we saw the pushing again. The fans were really
loud at that moment of time and already to chance
from Ludshell. Some good count press moments.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
We led to the corner.
Speaker 5 (02:33):
Keck and then we shaved a big set piece for
a very important moment.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
News get Abdion It's Sports Fix with Jason.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Lyne Any slim hopes that the Wellington Phoenix men or
women would take part in finals football this season were
extinguished officially over the weekend, the Wellington Phoenix women losing
to Canberray yesterday they now cannot make the top six,
and the Wellington Phoenix men well it seemed an outside
chance anyway, it has for the last few weeks and
(03:03):
finally now mathematically they cannot make the top six either
after their three to two loss Alburn victory on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
For the men, off the back of what was their.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Best ever season last season, this has been a pretty
challenging one for Phoenix fans and for the club and
the players and coaching staff.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Themselves.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I'm sure they simply haven't replaced the quality that they
lost from last season squad, the likes of Ben Old,
Alex Paulson, bojed Ar krajev Oscars Evada and others. They've
brought in new players, they've promoted some young talent, but
they haven't yet reached the level required to challenge for
a top six spot again.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
But in amongst it.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
All, there have been a few bright sparks, and one
in particular, Corbyn Piper. I'd almost wager that you would
not have heard of Corbyn Piper probably before this current
A League football season. Certainly if you weren't from the
Birkenhead club, you would not.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Have heard of him.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
When he signed for the club, it was almost a
little bit of a mystery as to what his best
position might be. He played in central midfield for Birkenhead,
but looked more like a defender this season. He's been
used in a variety of different roles by coach John
calo Ittaliano, and every time he has been asked to
do something he has done it. He has been, as
(04:21):
I say, one of the bright sparks of this season.
I remember, for a former Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick once
saying about Ben Sigmund that you can't have a team
full of artists, you also need some panel beaters. And
I think you get the gist of what Ernie Merrick
was driving at. Those players who will just give you
everything every single time. They're not the flashiest, most technically
(04:44):
skilled players in the world, but they are no less
valuable than those players. In fact, in many ways they
are more important. They are fully committed, one hundred percenters.
And Corbyn Piper to me, is very much like Ben
Sigmund used to be. He's like Ben Sigmund two point zero.
He is a panel beater and that is meant in
(05:05):
the utmost way of a compliment for co Piper, who,
as well as goals and his wholeheartedness, has added significantly
to this Phoenix side this season. So as the season
draws to its close with no finals football, at least
we can draw a little bit of consolation from the
latest panel beater to come through the Phoenix's ranks.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, It's Sportspecks with Jason Vine.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
On the Sports Fix podcast. Incredible fair to unbelievable drama
on the last afternoon at Augusta, as Golf's eighty ninth
Masters Tournament decided via the opening sudden death playoff hole.
Overnight leader Rory McElroy seemed to have everything under control
and moved from his overnight score of twelve under to
fourteen under ten holes into his final round, but Justin Rose,
(05:57):
who had started the day seven shots behind McElroy, had
the most incredible last eight holes, carting six birdies and
two bogies to get to eleven under. McElroy mean time,
dropped a shot on eleven, double bogeie thirteen and bogied
fourteen to drop back to ten under, then birdied fifteen
and seventeen to retake a one shot lead. Heading to
(06:19):
the eighteenth, he hit his second into the bunker, played
a terrific third shot to set up a short put
for par, but missed agonizingly to the left to make bogie,
dropping him back to eleven under and feeding him into
a playoff with Justin Rose. Rose made par on the
first playoff hole before McElroy putt it in to win
his first Green jacket and become just the sixth man
(06:42):
to win all four majors and complete a career grand
slam Let's bring in former world number one ranked amateur
to a play for twelve years, one of New Zealand's
leading coaches, and a man who was at Augusta Marcus Wheelhouse.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Marcus, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I'm not quite sure where to start, but maybe we
can start at the end.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
How on earth.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Would Rory McElroy have composed himself for the playoff after
missing the part to win it on eighteen the first time?
Speaker 6 (07:12):
Well, just I mean, I just yeah, I've been mate
with great difficulty rather than me. But I think that
you know that that emotion shooting now came out after
after he finally did it. But I think he's been
he's been very complated and very he is wording in
the media, has been very about very much about you know,
just that whole keeping the present and not sorry of
(07:33):
looking at for the boards and everything else. So made
it would have been an absolute huge mountain to climb
for him, because you know, I mean, I just go
back to pontests, you know last year when when him
and Bryson down the stretch and you know he's missed
a couple of sort of pretty vital puts on those
last year holes there at Pinehurst, and unfortunately for he
was a nervous system a couple of times this year
(07:56):
as well, So maybe he certainly had a lot of
a lot of mountains to climb. That's just shut.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
What did you say when he started to try us
strike trouble on his back nine? What did you see
from him during that little stretch where he where he
had a had a he dropped the shot on eleven,
double bogue, thirteen, bogie, fourteen back to ten under What
did you see during that little stretch that you know
from from Roy McElroy.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
Well, I mean he's I mean from a from yeah.
I mean, it's pretty hard to fold him in the
way that he strikes a golf for but there's certainly
a certain pattern that seems to come out when he
is unpressure and when he does fire. And I mean
when you get a body that fires as fast as
he does, it's pretty hard to think up. And that's
(08:42):
you know where like you know, that shot on regulation
in the seventy second hole where he just left to
the right seems to be his bogie if you want
to call it that, or or his nemesis, and then
you know, I just take it back to seventeen on
on even Saturday. You know, like you see his putting stroke,
just get very quick through the through the ball or
(09:03):
change paces. Maybe sometimes it's quick, sometimes it's slow. So
I mean, look, everybody's got their thing, but I I mean, look,
you can't fold him as a players and he's amazing,
So I don't mean to sound critical, but yeah, I
mean he's just he's constantly trying to control obviously in
the motion. I think this is probably this would down
has been as the hardest victory. He hasn't won a
(09:24):
major for a number of years, and he's lost quite
a few. He's been polarized in the media in the
last few years with this whole of you know, sort
of you know PGA Tour battle if you want to
call that. So, yeah, there's been a lot. I think
there's been a lot going on. You know that he's
got a divorce in it Rey Kindling with his advice.
There's been a lot going on in Roy's life.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Indeed, well, yeah, you can understand the emotion at the
end when that part did finally drop. Just on Justin Rose.
He started the day seven shots behind. The most extraordinary
last eight hole six Bood he's in two bogue, he's
got up to eleven under.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
What did you see from him today?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (10:02):
Look, I just think it's amazing. You know, he's forty
I think forty four is me. You know, he finished
second last year in the open at Troon and he
just he just keeps on surprising. You know. Really, I
think I'm not surprising, but just yeah, to be doing
what he's doing, and that's a hell around that land
and then to Bertie last. I mean I was sitting
(10:23):
on eighteen yesterday for probably a good hour and a
half and you know, I mean there was there was
certainly more boats and pars. It's a tough hole, you know,
and from you get up and do what he did
and under that pressure knowing you've got to do, you know,
to sort of try and post a score. No phenomenal
stuff from from Rosie as well. I thought it was
(10:44):
a real he could be you know, should he did
anything wrong, you know, he should be proud of himself.
As he sat there and watched his maitland. I mean,
I'm sure he will have doing himself.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
But you know what I'm saying, of course, absolutely, and
that was clear at the end as well, and Bryson
d Chambeau starting the day outright second peered with macl
why Bertie the second actually to briefly take the lead,
but went downhill from their unhappy final round, shooting three over.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Just the day too big for Bryson today. What did
what did your assist from? From him? Today?
Speaker 6 (11:13):
I heard because I'm a little bit out of a
loop with with media science in the because you can't
have phones or anything in that in the and I've
just got back. But I don't know. I heard something
about him being on the range to the way out
last night. Was that true? I don't know. I mean,
it sounds like to me his load for the week
(11:35):
was pretty high. And and I think I think from
a from you know, from my point of view as
a coach and and expire you so you think it's
only a certain amount of injury devils and and I
think you just beat it out. It's you know, it
is it is high energy stuff that you're playing out begun.
You're out there for a long time. And to me,
(11:55):
it sounds like he just almost worked himself too hard
for the week and and just lost energy. You know,
It's it's tough then to be you know, toy and
fight all those emotions, and you've got to be so
you know, top of what your self talkers and all
these different things that sit around pressure and golf and
also the physical side of things as well, you know,
(12:15):
like he is. But that so yeah to me that
I don't know, that's my That was my sort of reflection.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Thanks so much for your insight, Marcus, really appreciate it.
Marcus Wheelhouse joining us on the Sports Fox podcast.
Speaker 7 (12:27):
The Chamber is now in session on sports Fix on
the Sports Flex podcast, Let's Pop Inside the Chamber the
People's Chamber on a Monday, joined by multi media journalists
with news talks, HEBNZ ME and probably a bunch of
other platforms as well.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Elijah for you. Good to see you, Elijah. How was
your weekend mate? Did you enjoy yourself across the last
couple of days.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
I did, especially across the sporting environment. This morning. I
don't think I've ever been stressed watching someone's final round,
and I did with Rory Macroy on that back nine,
But great to see them play out their wind and
obviously so many other sporting moments to talk about, which
I'm sure we'll delve into.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Let's do that.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
You're right though, I'm an incredible drama at Augusta And yeah,
great to see him finally get there, green jacket.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
To pop in his wardrobe.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
The Warriors, Elijah, I said to somebody this morning, I'm
not sure that I will ever see the Warriors beat
Melbourne Storm in my lifetime. I had high hopes going
and they were extinguished after about twenty minutes.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Yeah, at this point, I think it's a curse every
time anytime the Warriors come up against the Melbourne Storm.
Seventeen losses in the row against the same team, not
a streak you would like to have, but I mean
thirty six zero in that first half. There were probably
a couple of moments in there that were key. One
was losing James Fisher Harris to that pictoral injury. Losing
someone with the caliber that he has as a front
(13:47):
roller and as a leader as well was a big
loss for them. But also that Jackson Fordson binning as well,
because I think the Storm scored three tries in about
eight minutes during that period, so when there were down
to twelve men, So a couple of key moments there.
But I guess if there was a positive to take
out was that second half performance. They outscored the Storm
fourteen to six, so probably something they could hope to
(14:08):
build off, but at the same time, losing to the
Storm once again not ideal if you're a Warriors fan.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
The Storm are good, though, aren't they?
Speaker 3 (14:15):
They are clearly the best side in twenty twenty five,
aren't they.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Oh, they are.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
They've proven this point. I think they're one of the
most one of the best attacking sides of the season.
They've proven that their appotent force. It was like watching
him play touch footy out there, the way they were
able to break the line and some of their speed
that they have outside and the outside backs, and yeah,
I mean, it's just the class that they have under
Craig Bellamy. And we've always known this wing Bellamy is
(14:40):
in charge of a team and no matter what his squad,
what the makeup of the squad is, they're always going
to prove to be tough to beat and prove to
be contenders. So yeah, they're a very good squad Melbourne.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
It does make this weekend coming quite important, doesn't it
for the Warriors. Its similar to when they lost their
very first game of the season against the Raiders, over
in Vegas and coming home, they really had to bought
in a good performance against the Sea Eagles at home
and did winning that thirty six sixteen the Bronco. It's
third place Broncos coming to go Media Stadium on Saturday night.
(15:12):
They did lose to the Roosters over the weekend, the Broncos,
but that's quite a big game for Andrew Webster's team,
isn't it.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Yeah for sure, and I guess it's another points or
another game in the season to sort of see how
this Warrior's side bounces back from this adversity. They managed
to pass that first test after they lost and lost
in Las Vegas, and now this is just another time
to prove that they can overcome such a big loss
against the Storm and bounce back against the Broncos. So
(15:41):
we'll see how the Warriors react after what happened at
the weekend.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Another really really interesting Super Rugby weekend, as they always
seem to have been this season, with results that we expected,
results that we didn't expect. I certainly didn't expect the
Chiefs to lose to the war Atars. The other ones
I guess went almost the way I thought, although I
thought the Hurricanes might beat the Crusaders. What has given us, though,
(16:06):
Elijah is this table Crusaders twenty eight Chiefs, twenty seven
Brumby's twenty three Reds, twenty three Waratars twenty one Force twenty.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
That's the top six.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Then Highland is seventeen, Hurricanes, sixteen Blue sixteen one Pacific
At fifteen, I think we can forget about the Fiji
and draw with seven points, who are super rugby favorites now.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
I actually still think the Chiefs are only because they
are two losses this season, and part of me wasn't
surprised that the Waratars beat the Chiefs just because the
Wartars have been really good at home this season, but
they're a completely different team when they're on the road.
They get absolutely outclassed whenever they're on the road, but
at home they're a really good side. And then the
(16:47):
Chiefs other loss the season was in wet conditions in Fiji,
which is always a tough place to play. Other than that,
I think the Chiefs are still in my mind the
top contenders, but I think the gap has definitely closed
with the Crusaders and those three four Australian teams who
are rounding up the top six right behind them.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yeah, I agree. I still think the Chiefs are favorite
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
I think there's a body of thought that maybe the
Crusaders are now. I think we'll find out quite a
bit about the Crusaders we are every week, and probably
a little bit about the Blues as well when the
Crusaders play the Blues. That's not a bad way to
spend good Friday, is it watching the Crusaders against the Blues.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Well, it would be a great Friday if the Blues one,
for sure and carry on that momentum. But I think
with the Crusaders, Yeah, There's been points of the season
where I've thought to myself, are the Crusaders back? And
part of me still isn't fully convinced for some reason.
But I think if they do put on a strong
performance and beat the Blues, who are obviously trying to
(17:44):
build some momentum of their own, then yeah, I will
definitely class the Crusaders as one of the top contenders
in Super Rugby.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
I just like that there are so many teams in
contention heading into the last six games. Everyone's played eight games.
Now we can make a genuine assessment and apart from
the Drewer. Everybody still I think is still in contention
for the top six. So that's exactly what we've been
after just before you depart the chamber. Liam Lawson thirteenth.
We cross thirteenth at the Bahrain Grand Prix this morning,
(18:10):
but then dropped down to seventeenth after he was given
penalties for twice bumping into Nico Holkenberg. Do we just
kind of have to accept that Liam Lawson's gonna finish
in the teens, the mid teens most of the time.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
You would hope not.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
And obviously some of these situations that he found himself in,
like those penalties in Bahrain, you can't really escape. But
I think had he crossed the line in thirteenth, that
would have been a positive development of some sort, had
given that he started from seventeenth. But for him now,
I guess the challenge is finding well, one come getting
(18:46):
through a race without any mishaps, and then two making
sure he gets into the point scoring and somehow. So
obviously he has another weekend to back up in Saudi Arabia,
so we'll see how he goes there, but hopefully that's
not the case where he's finishing in the mid teens.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
I just looked at him again this morning in the footage.
I sore, and I mean, the car's not as fast
as the other ones and he's still early in his career.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
I hope you're right.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
I hope that he finds a way to get himself
into the points. But then, really, racing Balls, do they
get that many points? They don't really do. They don't
very often, regardless of who's driving those cars finished in
the top ten do they No?
Speaker 4 (19:27):
Not really like they're always they're basically the junior's him
for Red Bull, So I think they're more seen as
the developments for Red Bull. And you know, if they
do manage to get points every now and then, then
that's a success. But I think it's really about making
sure whoever the drivers are in Racing Balls gets the
most experience out of being in Formula one. But I
guess if you're Liam Lawson, you just have to make
the most out of the situation that he's found himself in.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Okay, Well that's us on the chamber for today. I've
checked the diary Elijah in. Next Monday is Easter Monday,
when I don't think we're scheduled to do it podcasts.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
So you can have the.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Weekend off next weekend, we'll certainly the podcast part of it.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I will too, the podcast part of it.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Let's reconvene in the People's Chamber in a fortnight from
shall we yes?
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Sounds good? Thank you binding.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
This is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports news
powered by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
And that is a wrap on Sports Fix for today.
Thank you for downloading, thank you for listening in, and
if you subscribe to sports Fix, a fresh episode will
drop into your podcast feed at around about this.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Time every weekday.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
And for more from Newstalks EDB Sport, tune into Sports
Talk weeknights between seven and eight pm and Weekend Sport
midday till three Saturday and on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
For more from News.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Talks EDB, listen live on air or online and keep
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