1-0 Auckland City at half time. Olympic seemed to have most possession and most chances but couldn’t convert anything. Arguably should’ve had a pen but oh well
Bit of a goal fest at Shepherds Park as it finished 3-3 between Birkenhead and wests. It could easily have ended up 6 or 7 each with heaps of chances missed , posts in play plenty of times , some great goalkeeping , and Birko missed a penalty again. Both sides realised that a draw was worthless and last 10 minutes were end to end.Birko probably the happier of the two sides being 2-0 down at the break and looking down and out..Patterson came on with about 25 to go and added a bit of spark. Thunderstorm in the first half was not pleasant for spectators let alone players but pitch held up well.Good afternoon entertainment but neiither of those sides will be challenging for honours I would think
One thing that really annoys me about NZ Football is the complete lack of effort they put into promoting the National League. Bare minimum would be set up a standalone website for it and try to get a naming sponsor. Gotta wonder what kind of reaching out they do to sports media as well. They should be packaging up highlights and shipping them to TV1, 3, Herald and Stuff.
1-0 Auckland City at half time. Olympic seemed to have most possession and most chances but couldn’t convert anything. Arguably should’ve had a pen but oh well
Conor Tracey outstanding for Auckland City today. Some top quality stops as well as the penalty save.
Yeah Auckland City did well to manage a lot of pressure from Olympic late in the 2nd half. Olympic generally look good, just don't seem to have much composure in front of goal at the moment.
All of Coastal's defence solidity from last week seemed to go out the windows today. I Didn't expect Springs to end Rd 2 back on a 0 GD after their 4-0 loss last weekend
WeeNix cutting Tech to pieces this second half, which in fairness I didn't expect after a sluggish first outing last week against Eastern Suburbs (3-0 : Supyk, GSR, Walker goals)
Good tussle up North at Madills farm between Eastern Suburbs and Napier. Not a whole lot of quality from what I've been watching, but entertaining nonetheless (2-2). Oscar Faulds forced off with injury before the half hour mark in that one.
WeeNix far too good for Cash Tech - maybe we're giving the Southern League too many spots...
Sloane-Rodriguez is beating players for fun and Nix reserves have been almost completely untroubled by Cashmere. 4-0 probably flatters the Phoenix reserves but they're well worth their win and were able to play through the Tech midfield at will all game.
WeeNix far too good for Cash Tech - maybe we're giving the Southern League too many spots...
Sloane-Rodriguez is beating players for fun and Nix reserves have been almost completely untroubled by Cashmere. 4-0 probably flatters the Phoenix reserves but they're well worth their win and were able to play through the Tech midfield at will all game.
Have heard murmurings of a 12 team NL next season - Auckland FC + 1 out of either Central or Southern Leagues.
Money would be on Central League if it did happen, but I feel as though if there was an expansion to 12 teams, the talent pool is not really there to be able to make the competition any better (I think it would make it worse to be honest).
Auckland FC will probably come in and do well given their scholarship signings + others that they could hoover up from the Auckland scene, but then that would likely have the same effect of strengthening one side and diluting the others.
I still think a H+A NL would be brilliant with 10 teams. But I think that argument will fall on deaf ears for a little while yet.
WeeNix far too good for Cash Tech - maybe we're giving the Southern League too many spots...
Sloane-Rodriguez is beating players for fun and Nix reserves have been almost completely untroubled by Cashmere. 4-0 probably flatters the Phoenix reserves but they're well worth their win and were able to play through the Tech midfield at will all game.
Have heard murmurings of a 12 team NL next season - Auckland FC + 1 out of either Central or Southern Leagues.
Money would be on Central League if it did happen, but I feel as though if there was an expansion to 12 teams, the talent pool is not really there to be able to make the competition any better (I think it would make it worse to be honest).
Auckland FC will probably come in and do well given their scholarship signings + others that they could hoover up from the Auckland scene, but then that would likely have the same effect of strengthening one side and diluting the others.
I still think a H+A NL would be brilliant with 10 teams. But I think that argument will fall on deaf ears for a little while yet.
Surely an extra CL spot isn’t needed? Poor Petone got slaughtered last year and the likes of Western Suburbs and Nix Reserves haven’t started this year in convincing fashion. Not sure 5 NL, 5 CL and only 2 SL teams is a fair mix
WeeNix far too good for Cash Tech - maybe we're giving the Southern League too many spots...
Sloane-Rodriguez is beating players for fun and Nix reserves have been almost completely untroubled by Cashmere. 4-0 probably flatters the Phoenix reserves but they're well worth their win and were able to play through the Tech midfield at will all game.
Hopefully this is sarcasm as the 2 SL teams have done pretty credibly in recent years.
I wouldn't be opposed to some kind of playoff between leagues for the 11th and 12th spots but not sure how you make it work?
WeeNix far too good for Cash Tech - maybe we're giving the Southern League too many spots...
Sloane-Rodriguez is beating players for fun and Nix reserves have been almost completely untroubled by Cashmere. 4-0 probably flatters the Phoenix reserves but they're well worth their win and were able to play through the Tech midfield at will all game.
Have heard murmurings of a 12 team NL next season - Auckland FC + 1 out of either Central or Southern Leagues.
Money would be on Central League if it did happen, but I feel as though if there was an expansion to 12 teams, the talent pool is not really there to be able to make the competition any better (I think it would make it worse to be honest).
Auckland FC will probably come in and do well given their scholarship signings + others that they could hoover up from the Auckland scene, but then that would likely have the same effect of strengthening one side and diluting the others.
I still think a H+A NL would be brilliant with 10 teams. But I think that argument will fall on deaf ears for a little while yet.
Surely an extra CL spot isn’t needed? Poor Petone got slaughtered last year and the likes of Western Suburbs and Nix Reserves haven’t started this year in convincing fashion. Not sure 5 NL, 5 CL and only 2 SL teams is a fair mix
Well in all honesty we'll either need to keep at 10 and then have the same situation up north which seems to bug people on here. And that is having Auckland FC getting what Wellington get - Automatic qualification to NL, or essentially another Auckland team missing out on merit.
Cue the outrage...
Or
12 teams with either a 5-5-2 or 5-4-3 split between Northern, Central & Southern Leagues. Auckland FC & WeeNix with the inflammatory NL qualification regardless of finish in their respective regions and then whoever else qualifies on merit.
Not going to please everyone of course - even if it does eventuate. But it might be more favourable for the incoming Auckland team to come into an expanded NL Championship phase of 12, rather than incur the wrath of other Auckland football clubs who would fume at the prospect of of going to a 3+1 like what it currently is with the Central League.
Don't even get me started on an 11 team NL. No thank you.
WeeNix far too good for Cash Tech - maybe we're giving the Southern League too many spots...
Sloane-Rodriguez is beating players for fun and Nix reserves have been almost completely untroubled by Cashmere. 4-0 probably flatters the Phoenix reserves but they're well worth their win and were able to play through the Tech midfield at will all game.
Have heard murmurings of a 12 team NL next season - Auckland FC + 1 out of either Central or Southern Leagues.
Money would be on Central League if it did happen, but I feel as though if there was an expansion to 12 teams, the talent pool is not really there to be able to make the competition any better (I think it would make it worse to be honest).
Auckland FC will probably come in and do well given their scholarship signings + others that they could hoover up from the Auckland scene, but then that would likely have the same effect of strengthening one side and diluting the others.
I still think a H+A NL would be brilliant with 10 teams. But I think that argument will fall on deaf ears for a little while yet.
From afar it seems Auckland FC have done a meritous charm offensive to win over the local Northern football club community.
But yeah a fair chunk of that could come undone, when they enter their Reserves team in the Northern League next year. That in itself is going upset some clubs with 1 less team being promoted than relegated, to fit in Auckland FC II. Double the outcry in some quarters if yes they also get one of the Northern League's 4 NL spots.
Their inclusion next year affected three seperate tiers of northern league football at very short notice to the clubs so they probably needed to do all that work as reparation.
Nix Reserves looked good against Cahsmere Tech today. Wasn't a good round for the Southern League teams after both of their impressive results last week.
I feel we've already had quite a few surprise results and surprise scorelines.
Cashmere Tech went into this round with a +4 GD and have ended with it at 0, and Western Springs went into this round with a -4 GD and have ended it at 0 also - both quite unexpected for me at least. Maybe the only team who hasn't been a surprise at all so far is Auckland City.
Wellington Olympic will need to get winning pretty fast as this Championship phase really is a bit of a sprint with so few fixtures, one or two bad results can really ruin your chances.
On the subject of next year whether it'll be a 10 or 12 team competition - I kind of feel NZ Football want to keep it shorter to prevent clubs from having to spend too much flying around the country and adding 2 extra fixtures for everyone (albeit only 1 extra away game) might be considered too cost prohibitive? I'm just making guesses here. Ideally I'd love a full home & away season like most of the rest of you probably do too.
Their inclusion next year affected three seperate tiers of northern league football at very short notice to the clubs so they probably needed to do all that work as reparation.
It was very much NZF's cockup on that though - both NRF and Auckland FC pointed the fingers at their slow and complicated change process.
WeeNix far too good for Cash Tech - maybe we're giving the Southern League too many spots...
Sloane-Rodriguez is beating players for fun and Nix reserves have been almost completely untroubled by Cashmere. 4-0 probably flatters the Phoenix reserves but they're well worth their win and were able to play through the Tech midfield at will all game.
who's pumped for the weekend? Wellington Olympic to drop more points and be goneburgers already? Birkenhead to get much needed first win or they're buggered? Who will take points in the likely battle for the wooden spoon between Western Suburbs and Coastal? Can Napier City Rovers stay unbeaten? Who do Phoenix Reserves select from the top team?
It's close behind Auckland City, I don't think 7 wins will be required to make the grand final again. Olympic or someone else could do it with 6. Who even is the favourite to make it apart from them?
Pyro at Olympic vs Suburbs after Olympic equaliser
Good to see, hope you're enjoying the live action.
Coverage on FIFA+ is absolutely awful this afternoon, and it's the reason I'll switch over to the OFC WCQ in a few minutes. The camera angle looking towards the ES goal is just annoying too - Don't they normally setup on the other side of the ground?
Pyro at Olympic vs Suburbs after Olympic equaliser
Good to see, hope you're enjoying the live action.
Coverage on FIFA+ is absolutely awful this afternoon, and it's the reason I'll switch over to the OFC WCQ in a few minutes. The camera angle looking towards the ES goal is just annoying too - Don't they normally setup on the other side of the ground?
Last week they had an actual camera on machinery that lifted it into the trees. Today it’s a 4m~ pole with what looks to be a 360° camera. So I’m not surprised the quality is poor
sounds like one of the guys commentating the Olympic game is either doing the call from deep down a sewer drain or from inside the hull of the HMNZS Manawanui
Pyro at Olympic vs Suburbs after Olympic equaliser
Good to see, hope you're enjoying the live action.
Coverage on FIFA+ is absolutely awful this afternoon, and it's the reason I'll switch over to the OFC WCQ in a few minutes. The camera angle looking towards the ES goal is just annoying too - Don't they normally setup on the other side of the ground?
Last week they had an actual camera on machinery that lifted it into the trees. Today it’s a 4m~ pole with what looks to be a 360° camera. So I’m not surprised the quality is poor
Terribly glitchy and freezes every 20-30 seconds for 2-3 seconds at a time. When the ball is down this side of the field it's half watchable, when it gets down the far side, well, I've given up and gone to watch Vanuatu v Samoa.
East looked like they would dominate at the start, was on the attack a lot in the first 20 and obviously their early goal but unfortunately for them Olympic was too strong. Meanwhile Olympic skyrocket to 3rd on the ladder (at least until all the other matches happen)
East looked like they would dominate at the start, was on the attack a lot in the first 20 and obviously their early goal but unfortunately for them Olympic was too strong. Meanwhile Olympic skyrocket to 3rd on the ladder (at least until all the other matches happen)
she's gonna be a tight old league, and a bloody interesting points table tomorrow night
How much would it cost NZF to purchase decent camera gear etc and get it out to each of the ten clubs to be used and returned at end of season? Actually could do it with 5. How is it that basketball nz seem to have more a clue around this? Even the new hockey league is on TVNZ. Can the Fifa+ bs! Terrible advertisement! Imagine being Olympic and going for sponsors and saying we get live coverage on TV and this is the bs that gets survived up! Makes blood boil. Rant over!
How much would it cost NZF to purchase decent camera gear etc and get it out to each of the ten clubs to be used and returned at end of season? Actually could do it with 5. How is it that basketball nz seem to have more a clue around this? Even the new hockey league is on TVNZ. Can the Fifa+ bs! Terrible advertisement! Imagine being Olympic and going for sponsors and saying we get live coverage on TV and this is the bs that gets survived up! Makes blood boil. Rant over!
I guess they just genuinely don't have the money for it. In all fairness NZ only has a handful of semi-pro clubs and some of them aren't even here I'm pretty sure. Probably just not much money circulating in the amateur circuit.
That said I imagine they'd have better luck with sponsors if the streams weren't so buggy at the very least
How much would it cost NZF to purchase decent camera gear etc and get it out to each of the ten clubs to be used and returned at end of season? Actually could do it with 5. How is it that basketball nz seem to have more a clue around this? Even the new hockey league is on TVNZ. Can the Fifa+ bs! Terrible advertisement! Imagine being Olympic and going for sponsors and saying we get live coverage on TV and this is the bs that gets survived up! Makes blood boil. Rant over!
I guess they just genuinely don't have the money for it. In all fairness NZ only has a handful of semi-pro clubs and some of them aren't even here I'm pretty sure. Probably just not much money circulating in the amateur circuit.
That said I imagine they'd have better luck with sponsors if the streams weren't so buggy at the very least
I know it's not exactly what it's for, but upon our qualification for the 2026 World Cup I'd be happy to see a portion out of some of that $10 million USD prize money just to get National League broadcasts up to scratch so that games aren't televised from the top of a large pole...
Very off putting how visually poor and low quality some of the streams have been across the NL so far.
Going off the 2010 WC, about 40% of that prize money will go to the actually AWs players. So NZF will get around $USD6M (nearly $NZD10M). Still yet a very handy boost to the coffers, to spend wherever they see fit.
in other likely good news for the finances of NZF, Infantino has stated FIFA's goal is equal PRIZE money 2026 mens WC (48 teams) and 2027 WWC (32 teams). Not sure if that means the FA of each country's qualified 2027 WWC team would also get $USD10M?? But you'd imagine NZF should certainly be getting an improved FIFA payout for the Ferns in 2027 compared to 2023.
From what I have been told (and so far seen), Sportway would be better used as the tactical (must film your game view) rather than the live stream view. It seems that the poor streams are the ones through Sportway. There are a few fields that don’t have sportway cameras and those streams seem a lot better / as do the highlights
