New Zealand at the 2018 Games

[Alexjc]

New Zealand finishes the Commonwealth Games reaffirming it's dominance in Rugby Sevens  - Double Gold...Men's and Women's.

The Women doing it tough against Australia with a cliffhanger extra time try...

While the Men's totally dominated Fiji who fell apart with some really dirty play and punished for it.

Well done both teams.

Final New Zealand Medal Standings:

 GOLD - 15

 SILVER - 16

 BRONZE - 15

Scraping past Glasgow 2014 in medal count and Gold count...

Fifth place on the medal standings overall.

 

 

 

[mattygs]

Pretty bloody pleased with the performance of the Kiwi team. Alex I remember you thought they would be quite down on Glasgow, and I too didn't think they'd get up to that level, but they've proven me wrong. 

I think the overall story for NZ for these Games will be a fantastic overall NZCG team performance. I think within that are some obvious disappointments that will no doubt be triaged , but which could potentially take some of the gloss off the 11 days. Nice wee finish though, a return to the top of the podium in sevens. 

[mattygs]

Kiwi athlete of the Games, hard to pick. Sam Webster , Sophie Pascoe, or Joelle King for performance. David Liti , Dame Valerie for the huge achievement as a mum and service to that sport. BlackSticks for making history. 

Be interesting to see who carries the flag at the closing. 

[mattygs]

Stacey Michelsen, captain of the Blacksticks NZ woman hockey team has been named as closing ceremony flagbearer 

[Alexjc]

1 hour ago, mattygs said:

Pretty bloody pleased with the performance of the Kiwi team. Alex I remember you thought they would be quite down on Glasgow, and I too didn't think they'd get up to that level, but they've proven me wrong. 

I think the overall story for NZ for these Games will be a fantastic overall NZCG team performance. I think within that are some obvious disappointments that will no doubt be triaged , but which could potentially take some of the gloss off the 11 days. Nice wee finish though, a return to the top of the podium in sevens. 

Thinking the same and it's great to see some rejuvenation in teams and disciplines that were having fingers pointed at them. However we only bettered Glasgow by One medal, and it was a Gold. 

 

So happy for the Hockey Women's Team...Redemption at long last and the Men's team holding back Australia to a respectable 2-0 loss and Silver. But seeing the NZ Sevens storm back to the top so fanatically just proves it was right to pull the A teams off the global Sevens circuit for the fortnight. Next year's Hamilton Sevens will have the women's teams play as well.

However the were some fails...Netball will now have to go into a deep introspective inquiry...  You can see there are very huge fractures in the organization and it seems to centre around the coaching structure. It's also losing popularity as young girls move toward more lucrative and action packed sports which really gave themselves some free positive advertising during the games. Basketball, Hockey, Sevens, Boxing and Track and Field.

Gold Coast itself proved to be the best Games Host so far...It's the best I've seen...knocking off Manchester 2002 as my favourite. 

It also proves that up and coming regional centres can use  the Games as a catalyst for infrastructure growth.  

Edited April 15, 2018 by Alexjc

[Alexjc]

On 3/24/2018 at 3:10 PM, Alexjc said:

 My predictions for NZ is, surprisingly, a low medal count. I would be amazed if we met 2014's Gold total. 

I believe it will be in the Field events where we will pick up some tin.

Sevens: Mens, no medals. Women, at least a Silver.

Netball: Bronze, at best.

Basketball: Bronze if we are lucky.

Cycling: At least one medal of each grade, but NZ has really fallen behind Aus and Eng in this sport. Nothing for Road cycling.

Swimming: Pffffffffttt!

Diving: A possible medal.

Hockey: Bronze if we are lucky for both sexes.

Track: There was only one real medal chance and now he's out. Could be a couple of surprises on the track though.

Field: Pay dirt here, both cannon ball chuckers expected to Gold. Our supermodel looking pole vaulter expected to at least Silver. Could be some surprises in long jump and discuss.

Shooting: Very much a Gold in here and a clutch of medals.

Martial Arts: Could get something.

TVNZ are going all out with broadcasting, creating a pop-up channel as well as across the board social app coverage. But there just doesn't seem to be that buzz about the CWGs like there used to be. It doesn't help that our main Olympic sports we medal in not there. Also the sad decline of Men's Sevens and the Cycling program are showing through. 

I'm going for:

4 Gold

4 Silver

8 Bronze.

And as commentators are predicting when the CWGs are over for another cycle, a huge all over discussion of why our presence at the CWGs just no longer seems to matter  

 

 

Yeap...Totally got it wrong!!!

 But TVNZ's coverage was terrible.

[mattygs]

Oh how bad was it, but at the very least the public was extremely vocal about it. I've never bagged Sky, I've been a subscriber for some time. While I think their package system is not ideal (at least they have started looking at changing this), they have already produced great sport coverage. 

TVNZ took us on a timewarp to the 90s with limited channels and the need for continuity , mixed with some mind boggling broadcast decisions (I still don't understand why they thought it was a good idea to screen the same sevens match on 2 channels at the same time, or boxing not involving Kiwis over a NZ gold medal squash game). I really do hope they don't get near another event like this again, though sadly they do appear to have RWC 2019.

 

[Alexjc]

And one last award:

Weightlifter David Litti has won the CWGs Good Sportsmanship Award.

Totally deserved!!!

 GOLD - 15

 SLIVER - 16

 BRONZE - 15

 Sportsmanship - 1

 

[Alexjc]

And now to give out the School Report Cards....

Athletics Track and Field -  Golds...Silvers...Bronze!!!! A really good swag bag. Really good at chucking or slinging cannon balls, leaping over hypothetical walls on the end of a pole, throwing spears, and walking long distances. Also some oh so close results. Athletics has returned to the front again. A+

Basketball - Still a growing sport in NZ and both teams came within striking distance for finals but had to settle on Bronzes each. A good future. B+

Beach Volleyball - Fun in the sun and still a sport growing here...a Bronze to go with the bronze bodies - interesting that the clothing requirements for the women is little more that the tiniest bikinis that just ask for malfunctions yet...Men's just show up in Boardies and t-shirts. Still one of the Fun spectator sports like the sevens. A

Boxing - A wonderful effort for a team that shied away from the limelight...Yet has done so much to bring back credibility to a once maligned Sport. All can hold their heads high with a clutch of medals including a popular Gold to cap off Boxing NZs efforts. A+

Cycling Track -  Keeping this separate as I believe this was one of the sports that got pointed at after a slide back since Glasgow and bottoming out at the World Champs in March. The team knew it and pulled out their best efforts - and came away with a good solid bag of Medals of all colours. Still plenty to work on but a turn around very much noticed A

Cycling Mountain - Ok a Gold and Silver in the Mountain Biking BUT forever tarnished by petty bad sportsmanship and ruining the moment. Grow up Gen Y. D

Cycling Road - Mixed results here, a couple of medals but a spectacular mis-communication in the last 500m of the mens race cost all medal chances - and there has been ructions in the group. Because of the medals...B-

Gymnastics - A good showing but no medals as promised. C

Hockey - Finally...Redemption for the Women, Gold at long last, and a battle for the men to the final and to hold back a monster for a credible Silver result. Well Done! A+

Lawn Bowls - Expected to at least Gold in two events...yet only minor medalled. Glory days past them now C+

Netball - ...I think we can attribute the total collapse of this once held high with pride sport to a long decline at admin level going back to even before Glasgow 2014. There is clearly a huge split in Netball NZ at head office. And it has made it to team level with spectacular fails including falling to new powerhouses Malawi and Jamaica. I'm not even going to begin to fathom what is going to happen to Netball now. Girls leaving in droves to other sports are now starting to eat away at the old greyheads running netball in NZ. F 

Rugby Sevens - Double barreled Gold blast returning New Zealand to the top of the Commonwealth and redeeming the code after disappointments of Rio 16...what else but A+

Shooting - Failed...Simple. Went in expecting to medal as they have always since 1990. Nothing. D

Squash - I don't think even they were expecting more than one medal...They nearly cleaned the place out!!! A

Swimming - Sophie Pascoe - She is her own brand. A+

Swimming - Everything else - One bronze medal...a glimmer of hope C+

Triathlon - The Mixed Fours redeemed what is still a failed sport - made worse that NZ help invent it. It's time for our much loved Andrea Hewitt to bow out and become a super coach. It's time to unleash those monsters that are growing in our high schools...yet another sport with a glimmer of hope C-

Weightlifting - David Litti - I have to separate him from the rest. What an example of modest and humble sportsmanship - and rewarded accordingly...here as well. A+

Weightlifting - Bruised egos, Marital spats, on air outbursts...and the most controversial weightlifter in the world at the moment competing...yet she was the one who had the most dignity out of the rest after her horrific injury. Nothing to be proud of after promising alot...D-

Wrestling - Simply outclassed on the mat...But not without trying and some oh so close moments. C

Host City Gold Coast - One of the best CWGs held and only ruined by that shambolic Closing Ceremony. But not taking away for proving the concept is still alive. A

And finally:

TVNZ - Coverage and reporting was just deplorable. Three channels and yet no co-ordination causing finals to be missed. Smother advertising ruining the flow of both Opening and Closing Ceremonies and live broadcasts missing important moments. And then came the totally inappropriate lines of questions to athletes who were coming down from a high either winning of losing. This culminated in a downright cruel attack on the embattled Silver Ferns captain by former Silver Fern player and now sportscaster Jenny May Clarkson (nee Coffin). Social media has constantly been going off on this and the broadcaster's coverage of the CWGs. The general consensus was they should've provided some Pay Per View channels - they have the capability, and have proved it by swiping the 2019 RWC off Sky TV. F

 

There we are 

 

 

Edited April 16, 2018 by Alexjc

[mattygs]

The NZ Herald has done an unbelievably unnecessary piece ranking every Kiwi athlete from best to worst. 

While I won't dispute their top picks, it's just not needed. 

[Alexjc]

1 hour ago, mattygs said:

The NZ Herald has done an unbelievably unnecessary piece ranking every Kiwi athlete from best to worst. 

While I won't dispute their top picks, it's just not needed. 

 You read The NZ Pravda Herald???

[mattygs]

hahaha, was on my faceyfeed

[Alexjc]

37 minutes ago, mattygs said:

hahaha, was on my faceyfeed

It didn't take long...

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/102994169/what-would-a-new-zealand-hosted-commonwealth-games-look-like-in-2026-or-beyond

[mattygs]

It's really just getting everyone on the same page at the same time. There has never been no interest in potential bids, it's just not everyone has agreed on it at the same time. 

For a start , we need to get to the place where Auckland is acknowledged as the only candidate. Christchurch has far bigger issues, and Wellington just doesn't have the land space (the issues over building a good indoor arena is case and point).

The proposed indoor venues in the above are fine, I'd probably cut Hamilton out a little more. We don't need an indoor sport there, Auckland has plenty of indoor venues
(Spark arena,  North Shore Events Centre, Trusts Arena, Vodafone Events centre, Barefoot and Thompson Stadium, ANZ viaduct events centre, Skycity Convention Centre) . I'd probably question the need for sailing, but beach volleyball at the Mount would be perfect.  I'd like to think any potential bid would have at least one legacy venue, as it seems to be the only time things get built in Auckland (for events). 

 

 

[Alexjc]

9 hours ago, mattygs said:

It's really just getting everyone on the same page at the same time. There has never been no interest in potential bids, it's just not everyone has agreed on it at the same time. 

For a start , we need to get to the place where Auckland is acknowledged as the only candidate. Christchurch has far bigger issues, and Wellington just doesn't have the land space (the issues over building a good indoor arena is case and point).

The proposed indoor venues in the above are fine, I'd probably cut Hamilton out a little more. We don't need an indoor sport there, Auckland has plenty of indoor venues
(Spark arena,  North Shore Events Centre, Trusts Arena, Vodafone Events centre, Barefoot and Thompson Stadium, ANZ viaduct events centre, Skycity Convention Centre) . I'd probably question the need for sailing, but beach volleyball at the Mount would be perfect.  I'd like to think any potential bid would have at least one legacy venue, as it seems to be the only time things get built in Auckland (for events). 

 

 

Hamilton is a linchpin to the hosting. It will have to carry at least the Sevens and some Cricket...Simply a waste of money not to...and naturally Hamilton will have to carry surplus accommodation for Cambridge and Karapiro. Tauranga would also have to host the cricket as well as the Volleyball.

I can see "neutral" branding for the CWGs. Something like "23rd CWGs" and then "[insert venue city name here]" a la RWC.

Auckland would still host Opening and Closing...I did notice Eden Park being avoided unless for the cricket. It cant be used for anything else...It would require expensive modifications and the demolition of the West stand to plonk a temporary track down both in it and on ground B for practice. They cannot build a new stadium in time. Mt Smart is now a dump. So we are looking at North Habour...

 

[yoshi]

Forgive the outsider - why shouldn't Wellington be considered? Capital, second (I think) city & the last big Kiwi city left out - & that stadium looks oh-so-ready for a temporary track. 

[Alexjc]

1 hour ago, yoshi said:

Forgive the outsider - why shouldn't Wellington be considered? Capital, second (I think) city & the last big Kiwi city left out - & that stadium looks oh-so-ready for a temporary track. 

Been there done that for the 2006 proposal...It was going to be a regional games but facilities acceptable then are not now. Wellington doesn't have an indoor velodrome. The original idea was to have Track cycling in Whanganui on it's then new outdoor circuit. There were plans to put a roof on it but have stalled since the National Track Cycling centre was built near Hamilton. There are only two covered velodromes in NZ, the other is at Invercargill. Also Wellington is deeply in debt and couldn't cope with the expense. Weather wise it can be very fickle even in high Summer which is February. As for Westpac Stadium, it is due for a massive refurbishment soon and could loose it's Oval shape as NZ Cricket now prefers to use it's much loved and popular Basin Reserve Oval, which is getting a massive upgrade with light towers. There is also no room for a practice track.