Winners & Losers: From the West Indies’ latest to Jurgen Klopp’s surprise exit - Chris Rattue

Addin Fonua-Blake celebrates during the NZ Warriors' defeat of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Photo / Photosport

Chris Rattue analyses the best and worst moments from the sporting weekend, highlighting the Warriors’ struggles with Addin Fonua-Blake’s early departure and questioning the potential signing of Braden Hamlin-Uele; the intense golf battle between Lydia Ko and Nelly Korda; Jurgen Klopp’s departure from Liverpool; celebrates Indian tennis veteran Rohan Bopanna’s Grand Slam victory; praises the West Indies cricket test win in Australia, and more.

LOSER: This Warriors’ news

Addin Fonua-Blake’s shock early departure from the Warriors, which will occur after the 2024 season, is a disaster for the club.

News - if true - that the Warriors are willing to pay silly money for Cronulla’s Auckland-born prop Braden Hamlin-Uele, would prove it.

The Warriors are clutching at straws.

It’s not entirely their fault, because Fonua-Blake’s release request after his barnstorming 2023 season left them in the lurch.

But Hamlin-Uele isn’t on the same planet as Fonua-Blake as a prop. He will be 30 by the time the 2025 season rolls around, way too old as an overly sensible signing anyway.

Suggesting he can “lead the Warriors’ forwards” is, well, misleading.

And $2.4 million over three seasons? You must be joking.

Squad member yes, for sure. Star signing: no, no, no.

Statistics and everything else reveal what an extraordinary forward Fonua-Blake was in 2023, but he always was an elite player even if his career had been a bit up and down.

Hamlin-Uele is probably a bit better than his very ordinary statistics suggest. He can be explosive.

But the Sharks forward isn’t a top-drawer NRL prop and at his age, the die is cast.

Overpaying for a player doesn’t make them a better player.

It can upset the payment hierarchy at a club and I dare say a few Warriors and their agents are already looking askance at that $2.4m figure, whether it is on the mark or not.

And if the amount is correct, it will tie up a lot of money, should an elite prop prospect suddenly appear during the year.

At least Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s return will give the Warriors new energy and ground-making ability in the middle of the field. Coach Andrew Webster will design a roving commission for the fullback-turned-centre, whose rugby union career was an unsurprising mishit. But Tuivasa-Sheck is hardly a spring chicken either.

Bottom line: The 2024 season is the moment for the Warriors to strike, while Fonua-Blake is leading the charge. Let’s hope he isn’t distracted.

WINNERS: Bad sport/Lydia Ko and co

Poor sport can be fantastic.

The battle between Lydia Ko and Nelly Korda during the latest LPGA tournament produced the best golfing drama I’ve seen for a while, yet a lot of the golf was awful.

Conversely, high-quality sport doesn’t always equal high drama.

The LPGA thrills in Florida were increased significantly because victory would have given Ko Hall of Fame entry. Typically, she took the playoff defeat in her stride.

The LPGA produces fabulous sport but a bit more angst wouldn’t go amiss. Then again, you can’t knock the sportsmanship, camaraderie and class that Ko and co show.

WINNER: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp... and this documentary

In a shock move, the manager of the English Premier League pacesetters announced he would stand down at the end of this season.

It’s an indication of how draining these jobs can be, given Klopp’s enormous popularity.

Few managers have drawn such passionate support from fans, helped by Klopp delivering the cherished EPL title that had eluded Liverpool for so long.

But he has an x-factor beyond that, related to his vibrant personality.

In a recent TV feature, Liverpool great Steve McManaman rated Klopp the finest of all Liverpool managers, which is saying something considering the legendary status of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.

There is, of course, an even greater manager operating in the EPL - a certain Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Keep your eye out for an excellent BBC film on the Spaniard.

WINNER: An unusual veteran

What a time for Rohan Bopanna, the Indian doubles specialist who has just won his first Grand Slam title at the 61st attempt, and reached the world number one doubles ranking.

The 43-year-old, who has had 19 doubles partners, reckons he is playing the best tennis of his career.

Indian tennis is hardly a world force. But my favourite tennis memory is the Davis Cup battle between New Zealand and India on the Stanley Street grass in Auckland during the mid-1970s.

It included an incredible set of doubles between Onny Parun/Brian Fairlie and the Amritraj brothers.

Vijay Amritraj was a unique character who went on to minor Hollywood fame, acting in James Bond and Star Trek movies.

Great days.

LOSERS: Football coaches

The sackings have flowed thick and fast at the Africa Cup of Nations.

WINNERS: Losers

Donald Trump doesn’t help this situation... does anyone ever lose any more?

A couple of days after losing his UFC middleweight belt, Sean Strickland claimed the “world knows” he actually beat Dricus cu Plessis. Yawn.

WINNER: The new West Indies

A fabulous cricket test in Brisbane saw the Windies claim their first victory in Australia for a long time.

They are still a long way from the team that was packed with legendary names so long ago.

But their pace attack looked very likely, led by the hostile Shamar Joseph, who bowls in the 140km/h range.

The 24-year-old fought off the pain of a toe smashed while batting to rip Australia apart.

One of his deliveries almost cracked the 150km/h mark. Wonderful to think that the game may have unleashed a new West Indies pace bowling star.

On a more unusual level, test debutant Kevin Sinclair revealed incredible celebratory backflips.

Kids, don’t try this at home (of course some inevitably will).

WINNER: Cricket tests... and transtasman rivalry

Okay, our grounds aren’t very big. But tickets to the upcoming tests between New Zealand and Australia - in Wellington and Christchurch - have flown out the door.

LOSER: Premature celebrations

Just saying - the premature damehood given to Noeline Taurua hasn’t done much for the Silver Ferns’ fortunes. Winning the world netball title meant she was always in line for the gong. But why the mad rush?

I suspect the clamour to elevate women’s sport, which has had a raw deal for so long, is part of the answer.

Taurua is now mulling over her future after the team finished third at the Nations Cup. It would be great to hear vigorous debate around the coaching job. This being netball, don’t hold your breath.

WINNER: The FA Cup concept

England’s famous old knockout football trophy still creates magic - sixth-tier Maidstone’s 2-1 win over Ipswich was great entertainment. Ipswich, currently pushing for promotion into the glamour EPL, were all over Maidstone to start with. It looked like they could win by about six goals. One Maidstone goal, from a breakaway, changed it all. That’s one of the beauties of football, which is capable of shock results unimaginable in other sports.

Chris Rattue has been a journalist since 1980 and is one of the most respected opinion writers in New Zealand sports journalism.