QBE Stadium in Albany is a nightmare for fans during winter. Photo / Dean Purcell
QBE Stadium in Albany is a nightmare for fans during winter. Photo / Dean Purcell
This is not an opinion
There's an acute shortage of affordable housing in Auckland and the government is on the lookout for parcels of land on the city fringe.
May I direct the responsible minister or minsters to a significant chunk of wasted land bordered by State Highway 29, the Albany Expressway, Don McKinnon and Coliseum Drives, and Appian Way. This is presently being used as a sports ground that has awkwardly and consistently found itself incapable of hosting crowds.
With the main stand facing west, it is hopeless for afternoon sport in the winter months and with zero protection from the elements on three sides, it's really only half a stadium. Before any more money is poured into this mistake, which would have been a national embarrassment during the under-20 world championships had there been a significant influx of foreign visitors, let's cut our losses and think creatively.
With easy access to shops (including a Mitre 10 Mega), schools and Auckland's best mini-putt course, it is the perfect spot for the supercity's next plaster-cast ghetto.
It is most assuredly not a great place for a stadium. It's difficult to get to and once you're in, if there's anything approaching a decent crowd, you'll miss most of the match while you queue for cold chips and a warm drink. And, frankly, a few seats around Onewa Domain would be just fine for North Harbour Rugby, which is hardly what you'd describe as an aspirational union.
The problems with the city's stadia are manifold and Regional Facilities Auckland's recommendations for future use, which include sending the Warriors to Albany, lack common sense and is destined to go down as a bureaucratic brainfart.
Removing one of the problems and investing the money from the land sale into a boutique 20,000 rectangular stadium in the heart of the city would be a cracking start.
(As an aside, a nostalgic look at some of Auckland's "Lost Arenas", by myself and award-winning photographer Brett Phibbs, will be on nzherald.co.nz tomorrow at 10am. We hope you enjoy it.)
Give 'em a taste of kiwi...
Each week we'll delve into nostalgia, with a clip of a Kiwi making it big, or not so big.
The Hurricanes are hosting a BIG game this weekend. Although they're one of New Zealand's favourite teams, glory days have been few and far between for the franchise. They have, however, usually been a joy to watch (Hammett Years excepted).
Here's one of the main reasons why. It's just Cully Being Cully on his way to a glorious try versus the Bulls.
Incidentally, last week we showed a clip of one of our finest horses, Rough Habit, weaving his way through the field to win the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. Rough Habit had the rare ability of being able to change direction while still gaining pace. Pre-knee injury Cullen was a thoroughbred in a similar mould, as this clip proves.
Sports stockmarket
I'm buying... Tana Umaga
Logic suggests the only way he can go is up, so I'm buying now but I'm still prepared to sell at short notice.
It took far too long and a few embarrassing twists, but the right thing has been done in appointing Umaga and waving goodbye to John Kirwan. The Blues will be better but you would still question the quality of the cattle the former All Black captain will be mustering.
Alarm bells also ring for me when the most used word to describe an appointment is "mana". If I was part of an appointments panel looking to find the best candidate for the most populous and under-achieving franchise in the country, I'd prefer the term "trophies".
But I'm buying the Tana Mana line... for now.
I'm selling... the Silver Ferns
I've heard the argument that says you ignore the result of the ANZ Championship because Wai Taumaunu has only to find seven decent players to take on Australia at the world champs. I'm not buying it.
The transtasman franchise final between the Swifts and the Firebirds showed that the way they are playing across the Tasman is on a different plane - it's fast, it's intensely physical and it's relentless. If anything, England's players looked more capable of stepping up to the level displayed by the best Australian than New Zealand's best.
It is the Year of Spieth, so this stat-head analysis of whether the Texan phenom can win the Grand Slam is well worth a read.
My last $10
Every week I will make one $10 bet. The goal is to get to December 31 with more money than I would have had if I had put it in the bank.
This week: $10 on the Waratahs to beat the Highlanders head-to-head at $1.57. Sorry boys, you've had a ball but the clock is about to strike 12. It's tough enough winning in Sydney without the now customary help of the officials.
Last week: Won $5 on Golden State beating Cleveland in Gm 6 of the NBA finals Spent: $20 Collected: $15
This is your chance to highlight a terrific grassroots sports performance, promote an upcoming sports reunion, or just send me crazy ideas. It's also not a bad spot for giveaways, if you're that way inclined. Email me at dylan.cleaver@nzherald.co.nz. I might not respond to your mail, but I will read it.
This week, under the Crazy Idea banner, we had this [abridged and edited] from reader Paul Scott:
"An idea which is solidifying in my mind re: Carter and McCaw at this year's RWC. Both should be used as closers off the bench. They come on at the 45 to 50-minute mark to provide a steering hand on the rudder and get the team home. This provides real experience under white hot pressure and enables them to be fresh every time; allows Cane to dominate early breakdowns; and Barrett to ignite backline. At 50 minutes Carter comes on at 10, Barrett goes to fullback and Smith to the wing. McCaw comes on for either flanker dependent on game requirement. McCaw to be captain when on the field."
