You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldegrave from News Talk ZEDB.

You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldegrave from News Talk ZEDB.

It has hardly been a dream start for the Blues. Another loss on the weekend and to be honest, possibly the worst performance of the season forty two to nineteen losing to the Crusaders. They head into the buy now with one win and five defeats to show for at Former Blues player, All Black Centurion and Skysport commentator Mills Muliaina joins us now on Sports Talk. Mills, thanks so much for your time.

It has hardly been a dream start for the Blues. Another loss on the weekend and to be honest, possibly the worst performance of the season forty two to nineteen losing to the Crusaders. They head into the buy now with one win and five defeats to show for at Former Blues player, All Black Centurion and Skysport commentator Mills Muliaina joins us now on Sports Talk. Mills, thanks so much for your time.

No no worries any time.

No no worries any time.

Well, we head into the buy from a Blues perspective with one win and five losses to start their title defense. I don't think anyone saw this coming, did you.

Well, we head into the buy from a Blues perspective with one win and five losses to start their title defense. I don't think anyone saw this coming, did you.

I didn't think it was going to be this bad. It's not the start they anticipated, but I think earlier on for preseason this team, they had a lot of injuries coming into the season, but certainly they just haven't quite clear. It's obviously the disappointment of only when in picking up one game so far, I think that the buyer has come at a you know, they always say, come at a pretty good time for the.

I didn't think it was going to be this bad. It's not the start they anticipated, but I think earlier on for preseason this team, they had a lot of injuries coming into the season, but certainly they just haven't quite clear. It's obviously the disappointment of only when in picking up one game so far, I think that the buyer has come at a you know, they always say, come at a pretty good time for the.

Blues right now, fourteen injuries. How much does that impact their campaign huge?

Blues right now, fourteen injuries. How much does that impact their campaign huge?

You know, that's that's always the fact that you can't really control, right, You've got to look at the depth of your squad. But they're also injuries and key positions. You know, the Boden Barrett a few weeks ago against the Brumby. So you look at the locking department as well. You know, you know, losing quite a few guys there, Petrick through plow to pulling out, but also giving people Fetter starting to come back, a lot of a lot of injuries in disruptions. They certainly sort of upfront, I mean, it's all about key positions, you know, the hooker. I mean, they haven't sort of got someone that's there and well established in that department at the moment, and so when you kind of look at that, you know they're really unsettled in. I mean, they'll be the first one to admit as well. I think also the rules have impacted the way they've been wanting to play. I think they came into the season wanting to play a similar style to last year, but that's just not the case this year. We've got the faster looking game teams and wanting to sort of explort you on the outside of these opportunities to issue with ball in hand, and I think you know they've they've picked up on that and in the last two or three weeks, but they just seemed they hadn't quite got the balance right or or quite connected in the fact they do we play that game that won us last year's their style or you know, we've got the ability also to play an expensive game, and that's where they're sort of missing out a little bit.

You know, that's that's always the fact that you can't really control, right, You've got to look at the depth of your squad. But they're also injuries and key positions. You know, the Boden Barrett a few weeks ago against the Brumby. So you look at the locking department as well. You know, you know, losing quite a few guys there, Petrick through plow to pulling out, but also giving people Fetter starting to come back, a lot of a lot of injuries in disruptions. They certainly sort of upfront, I mean, it's all about key positions, you know, the hooker. I mean, they haven't sort of got someone that's there and well established in that department at the moment, and so when you kind of look at that, you know they're really unsettled in. I mean, they'll be the first one to admit as well. I think also the rules have impacted the way they've been wanting to play. I think they came into the season wanting to play a similar style to last year, but that's just not the case this year. We've got the faster looking game teams and wanting to sort of explort you on the outside of these opportunities to issue with ball in hand, and I think you know they've they've picked up on that and in the last two or three weeks, but they just seemed they hadn't quite got the balance right or or quite connected in the fact they do we play that game that won us last year's their style or you know, we've got the ability also to play an expensive game, and that's where they're sort of missing out a little bit.

Last year they went very direct with their forwards, rolled up the sleeve, put pressure on teams inside the twenty two. But this year and said it and not probably being the biggest example of that is that they struggled to even into the Crusader's twenty so they weren't playing in the right areas of the park.

Last year they went very direct with their forwards, rolled up the sleeve, put pressure on teams inside the twenty two. But this year and said it and not probably being the biggest example of that is that they struggled to even into the Crusader's twenty so they weren't playing in the right areas of the park.

Yeah, exactly. And if you think about it, the kicking is becoming from from teams that they're playing. It's you now the Blues down in their own half and all of a sudden becomes a different mindset to them. You know, they they haven't quite got their kicking game right to put themselves back or the patience to be able to say, well, hey, we're not going to play anything in our own hearts. So they've almost forced the Blues in there playing the game. They're not sure they're comfortable with you. I think they can play an expensive game. I just don't think the perhaps got the confidence or the connections all that are backing from everyone to say, hey, we can actually do this and and have the skill set to be over the door. But you're right that they're not getting themselves in the right area of the parking you we want to last year, anything around that halfway mark or into your own hearth, and the Blues would just keep the ball in hand, carry hard, and they wouldn't meet sides, you know, they wouldn't give the ball back to any side. And now all of a sudden this was disconnected and their clean out. There's real opportunity to be able to steal some right ball and slow them down there and even frustrate them. So again, you know, I mentioned before the fact that this is a good time for them to go and establish what game they want to play. I certainly still think they're going to they can make the six. I think they've got the talent and some returning sort of guys coming back that are in key roles, and this is a tough competition. It's I mean tough in the fact that it's so so close, and so I still think that there's there's a there's a chance that they'll make the six.

Yeah, exactly. And if you think about it, the kicking is becoming from from teams that they're playing. It's you now the Blues down in their own half and all of a sudden becomes a different mindset to them. You know, they they haven't quite got their kicking game right to put themselves back or the patience to be able to say, well, hey, we're not going to play anything in our own hearts. So they've almost forced the Blues in there playing the game. They're not sure they're comfortable with you. I think they can play an expensive game. I just don't think the perhaps got the confidence or the connections all that are backing from everyone to say, hey, we can actually do this and and have the skill set to be over the door. But you're right that they're not getting themselves in the right area of the parking you we want to last year, anything around that halfway mark or into your own hearth, and the Blues would just keep the ball in hand, carry hard, and they wouldn't meet sides, you know, they wouldn't give the ball back to any side. And now all of a sudden this was disconnected and their clean out. There's real opportunity to be able to steal some right ball and slow them down there and even frustrate them. So again, you know, I mentioned before the fact that this is a good time for them to go and establish what game they want to play. I certainly still think they're going to they can make the six. I think they've got the talent and some returning sort of guys coming back that are in key roles, and this is a tough competition. It's I mean tough in the fact that it's so so close, and so I still think that there's there's a there's a chance that they'll make the six.

What do they need to fixt Is it just as simple as tweaking that game plan, going back to what they did last year and resetting that way.

What do they need to fixt Is it just as simple as tweaking that game plan, going back to what they did last year and resetting that way.

Yeah, I mean, I think get a few key players back. I think Bodin's not too far away once they establish their five connection. Injuries are going to be a big thing in healthy guys, I mean losing areas at the beginning of the season, his aunt Sullivans of the world. I'd like to see sort of those guys. But again, you can't control when those guys are going to be really but I think the balance of the game, it's almost so to say over the weekend to reset, it has to be you've got to forget the they've only won one game. This is the next three weeks is going to really define your season. And so getting on the same page and by that, whether it's a Lea's just reroute back to the old way and carry hard and be really efficient at that or a week there is ability. I mean you looked at the way they came back insta Chiefs and Hamilton. I mean that's a side that it can play open, open the style of rugby. I'd like to see them play that, but unfortunately at the moment they just are lacking the little the confidence and the skill seat to actually go with it.

Yeah, I mean, I think get a few key players back. I think Bodin's not too far away once they establish their five connection. Injuries are going to be a big thing in healthy guys, I mean losing areas at the beginning of the season, his aunt Sullivans of the world. I'd like to see sort of those guys. But again, you can't control when those guys are going to be really but I think the balance of the game, it's almost so to say over the weekend to reset, it has to be you've got to forget the they've only won one game. This is the next three weeks is going to really define your season. And so getting on the same page and by that, whether it's a Lea's just reroute back to the old way and carry hard and be really efficient at that or a week there is ability. I mean you looked at the way they came back insta Chiefs and Hamilton. I mean that's a side that it can play open, open the style of rugby. I'd like to see them play that, but unfortunately at the moment they just are lacking the little the confidence and the skill seat to actually go with it.

The Crusaders are obviously beating the Blues on the weekend, look to be back to some of the form that they've previously had they I would have dismantled the Blues. What have you made of the Crusaders sign to the season.

The Crusaders are obviously beating the Blues on the weekend, look to be back to some of the form that they've previously had they I would have dismantled the Blues. What have you made of the Crusaders sign to the season.

They look really dangerous, and not because of the way they dismantled the Blues, but I think they're a still cleaned to come within the Crusaders that they weren't party by all ends on on the weekend, but they will give them confidence because there is still plenty left for the Crusaders to be able to give. I think David Harvilly has been he was an exceptional over the week in the weekend many he has been leading into this since he's been given the captain. See role they've got. You know, they've always had plenty of depths, but you know now they've sort of got themselves on a roll that one away from home for the first time and how many years, And that's a key thing. And if we're the Crusaders, once they get a bit of sort of momentum into their game and start tweaking a few things, you know, they're definitely hard beasts to sort of stop. But that dangerous and effect that they're still penny more in terms of their game, that can fix.

They look really dangerous, and not because of the way they dismantled the Blues, but I think they're a still cleaned to come within the Crusaders that they weren't party by all ends on on the weekend, but they will give them confidence because there is still plenty left for the Crusaders to be able to give. I think David Harvilly has been he was an exceptional over the week in the weekend many he has been leading into this since he's been given the captain. See role they've got. You know, they've always had plenty of depths, but you know now they've sort of got themselves on a roll that one away from home for the first time and how many years, And that's a key thing. And if we're the Crusaders, once they get a bit of sort of momentum into their game and start tweaking a few things, you know, they're definitely hard beasts to sort of stop. But that dangerous and effect that they're still penny more in terms of their game, that can fix.

It's as you mentioned before, it's a really tight competition this year. The Chiefs out on top, but we've seen you know, they've lost to the drawer Milana. They had a little stumble. Ultimately won that on the weekend by fifteen points. But cheaper is this competition this year. Mills is really tired, isn't it.

It's as you mentioned before, it's a really tight competition this year. The Chiefs out on top, but we've seen you know, they've lost to the drawer Milana. They had a little stumble. Ultimately won that on the weekend by fifteen points. But cheaper is this competition this year. Mills is really tired, isn't it.

Oh Man? And when you're hearing he's hyping up over over the other side of the ditch, ma, it's you know, it's putting their sort of twenty seas or in as well. I love it and this is I mean, it's the beauty of this is what we've been wanting for possibly the last four or five years. There hasn't been this competitor for a very long time and hence the reason why the BREU is still in it places. But you know you talk about the Chiefs, you know they're fat on the perfect game as well. The Hurricanes in a similar boat. You know, they had to buy last weekend. And then you see the teams like their Reds come come to Toned and beat the Highlanders the way they sort of have. So it's it's definitely wide open. They're also had had a play in this and it's been outstanding. But I mean you've been there for a very long time, these competitions. By time and even before this, you know, round three or four, you're starting to see the different the expensiveness we certainly haven't seen that. I mean, it's a very fiight game and then the teams are prepared to chance around, which is which is so I think it's pleasing to see.

Oh Man? And when you're hearing he's hyping up over over the other side of the ditch, ma, it's you know, it's putting their sort of twenty seas or in as well. I love it and this is I mean, it's the beauty of this is what we've been wanting for possibly the last four or five years. There hasn't been this competitor for a very long time and hence the reason why the BREU is still in it places. But you know you talk about the Chiefs, you know they're fat on the perfect game as well. The Hurricanes in a similar boat. You know, they had to buy last weekend. And then you see the teams like their Reds come come to Toned and beat the Highlanders the way they sort of have. So it's it's definitely wide open. They're also had had a play in this and it's been outstanding. But I mean you've been there for a very long time, these competitions. By time and even before this, you know, round three or four, you're starting to see the different the expensiveness we certainly haven't seen that. I mean, it's a very fiight game and then the teams are prepared to chance around, which is which is so I think it's pleasing to see.

It certainly is. Mills Mulliaina, thank you so much for your time with us on News Talks. It'd be appreciate it. It's thank you very much, Mills Mullina joining us on Sports Talk this evening.

It certainly is. Mills Mulliaina, thank you so much for your time with us on News Talks. It'd be appreciate it. It's thank you very much, Mills Mullina joining us on Sports Talk this evening.

For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks. It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio,

For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks. It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio,