Payne on Kiwi roots & Garth partnership
Supercars: Matt Payne reflects on growing up watching Kiwi greats Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin, and looks ahead to teaming up with veteran Garth Tander for the enduros.
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ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Losena Kaloulia Naisilisili is breaking norms while paving the way for women in Fiji sport media
In Fiji, Losena Kaloulia Naisilisili is known as the "Switch Queen", a nickname given to her from her time working behind the switchboards on live TV broadcasts. From there, Naisilisili went on to become the first woman in Fiji to direct a live outdoor sports broadcast and is now a leader in directing news and television at FBC. In an industry where men have long been in control, her journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Initially making switches as directed by male directors, Naisilisili was diligent and learned quickly, soon moving to directing and making the switches herself. "Overseas, one person commands while another switches. For us here in Fiji, the director both directs and switches — calling and taking the shots at the same time," she said. "In the studio, I handle everything: framing, setting the lights, chroma, giving commands, and switching. There's a set format and sequence we follow every day. "For OB (outside broadcasts), it's different. It's a live game, and you never know what's going to happen. I set the sequence myself, always from a spectator's point of view, while adding surprise elements to keep it interesting." The "Switch Queen" in action. ( Supplied ) The real challenge came when she was asked to lead a team of men who had been in the industry much longer than she had. Many of them saw her as "just a woman" and doubted her ability to handle the demands of the role, like lifting heavy equipment or setting up cameras. But she wanted to overcome the doubters, not just proving herself to them but also proving to herself that she could succeed. "I knew I wanted to direct TV in the studio from the moment I saw how it was done," she said. "I was just waiting for the opportunity to present itself, and once it did, I gladly grabbed it with both hands. With hard work and perseverance, I got to where I am today." When she transitioned to sporting outside broadcasts, she noticed that women were often confined to the studio, where it became predictable and routine. But in sports OB directing, she had to think on her feet, deciding what shots to take and planning the sequence based on the venue. Naisilisili working a live event. ( Supplied ) This fast-paced environment was exactly what she craved, but she admitted the journey hadn't been easy. "I think the main thing is sacrifice. You can't serve two masters at once. You'll need to fail to achieve things; without failure, you won't experience growth," Naisilisili said. "You'll fail several times, but you must keep standing up and never underestimate yourself. If you have the energy and passion, you can achieve anything and go a long way." Naisilisili said she felt proud to have opened doors and inspired young girls to believe they can do the same. Her journey has also changed the perspective of men in an industry which is still very male-dominated. "Being a Fijian woman leading a male-dominated team is both a challenge and an opportunity to show that leadership is not about gender, but about respect and vision," she said. "I hope my journey encourages younger women to believe that we all have a place in this space, no matter who we are." Through her posts on social media documenting her journey, she aims to break norms and inspire her children and grandchildren to follow in her footsteps while honouring other pioneering women who have paved the way for others in the media space. Passionate about empowering the next generation, she actively encourages women in media to pursue TV directing and is always eager to mentor and teach young women interested in stepping into the role.
News.com.au
10 hours ago
- News.com.au
Brumbies seal Super Rugby semi final berth with win over the Hurricanes
There's still a pulse in Australia's ailing Super Rugby teams. Not for the first time, the ACT Brumbies have saved Australian rugby's blushes with a thrilling 35-28 quarter-final win over the Hurricanes in Canberra on Saturday. They now face the dreaded prospect of having to win twice in New Zealand to take the title but that's a problem for another day because the good news is that at least they're still alive. Australia's other teams all folded like cheap suits and have already crashed out of the tournament, leaving the Brumbies to fly the flag alone against the three remaining Kiwi sides. If it wasn't for an officiating blunder that cost them victory in their final regular season clash with the Crusaders, the Brumbies would be hosting a semi next week but instead they're off to Waikato Stadium in Hamilton to tackle the Chiefs. It's a tough assignment but the Brumbies have always been a side willing to roll up their sleeves and grind out wins through hard work. Twice they found themselves trailing the Hurricanes inside the first quarter of the game but both times they levelled the scores with tries off the back of rolling mauls after spurning the chance of easy points from penalties. It's not pretty but it's a highly effective tactic that the Brumbies have mastered and the Wallabies should consider using in their upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions. Four of the Brumbies' five tries against the Hurricanes were scored by frontrowers, two by hooker Billy Pollard and one each from props James Slipper and captain Allan Alaalatoa, who returned to the side from injury. 'It felt good to earn ourselves another week,' Alaalatoa said. 'We knew it was probably going to take everything we had. Physically, we spoke a lot about our tackle area and our tackle completion from the last time we played them. 'We backed ourselves. We knew that if we were going to beat the Hurricanes, we had to score some tries. 'The last time we played him, we didn't get many A-Zone opportunities, so we wanted to take as many as we could.' Only Tom Wright, who had an impressive game at fullback, chalked one up for the backline after he combined with powerhouse backrower Rob Valentini. If the Brumbies have a weakness it's with their defence. They conceded 50 tries during the normal season and gave up four more against the Hurricanes to keep the visitors in the game right until the final whistle. There was some added pressure before the game when the Auckland Blues scored in the last minute to beat the Chiefs in New Zealand, meaning the Brumbies' match was sudden-death. Had the Chiefs won, both the Brumbies and the Canes would have been assured a place in the semis regardless of the result but it was the Aussies who survived to fight again. 'It's good for us to experience that pressure now, especially heading over to Hamilton now where it is going to be do or die,' Alaalatoa said. 'To have that feeling for the game I think it's gonna be good for us heading into next week.'
The Advertiser
10 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Warriors slaughter Sharks as NRL's top four break away
The Warriors have brushed Cronulla aside in a 40-10 win that has helped create a breakaway pack of four in the race for the NRL minor premiership. Marshalled by one-time Cronulla playmaker Luke Metcalf, the Warriors kept pace with fellow top-four contenders Canberra, Canterbury and Melbourne with victory in front of 13,727 at Shark Park on Saturday. Metcalf will take the plaudits for the Warriors' round 14 victory, but some of the Kiwi outfit's young forward talent - namely Demetric Vaimauga and Leka Halasima - trumped the Sharks for both flair and fight. The win for Andrew Webster's side, who led 12-10 at halftime, opens up a four-point buffer between the top four and Cronulla, who remain stuck in fifth after a second straight defeat. "I didn't know when it was going to come, but at halftime I was like, 'boys, we love these tight games'," Webster said. "I was rapt that we got the rewards late and I thought both our attack and defence complimented each other." The Sharks, meanwhile, are in real danger of slipping back into the chasing peloton. A large number of the home side's supporters made for the exit when Warriors five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita crossed in the 66th minute. Craig Fitzgibbon's men imploded after the break. A side once famed for their defensive steel, the Sharks have conceded 108 points across their past three games. "We work hard on that (defence) and it's a simple game," Fitzgibbon said. "Sometimes if you don't get the simple and the hardest parts right, that's what happens to you. "A lack of physicality in the second half cost us." The early warning signs were there for Cronulla as the rising Warriors started with promise and took the lead after just five minutes. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Adam Pompey gave the Kiwi side an early lead before Mawene Hiroti and KL Iro both hit back for the Sharks before halftime. Cronulla had an avenue back into the game, but they failed to take it, and in their first defensive test of the second half Fitzgibbon's side wilted. Vaimauga created the confusion as the young forward played a no-look short ball for James Fisher-Harris close to the goal line that allowed the prop to stroll in untouched. Vaimauga then nabbed a try of his own backing up a Metcalf break, before Halasima got in on the act by outjumping Sione Katoa and touching down in the in-goal. Harris-Tavita scored two tries in the final quarter of an hour, the first off a show-and-go that left the Sharks defence clutching at air. His second was an 80-metre runaway effort after intercepting a Nicho Hynes pass that will only add to the pressure on the Sharks. The Warriors have brushed Cronulla aside in a 40-10 win that has helped create a breakaway pack of four in the race for the NRL minor premiership. Marshalled by one-time Cronulla playmaker Luke Metcalf, the Warriors kept pace with fellow top-four contenders Canberra, Canterbury and Melbourne with victory in front of 13,727 at Shark Park on Saturday. Metcalf will take the plaudits for the Warriors' round 14 victory, but some of the Kiwi outfit's young forward talent - namely Demetric Vaimauga and Leka Halasima - trumped the Sharks for both flair and fight. The win for Andrew Webster's side, who led 12-10 at halftime, opens up a four-point buffer between the top four and Cronulla, who remain stuck in fifth after a second straight defeat. "I didn't know when it was going to come, but at halftime I was like, 'boys, we love these tight games'," Webster said. "I was rapt that we got the rewards late and I thought both our attack and defence complimented each other." The Sharks, meanwhile, are in real danger of slipping back into the chasing peloton. A large number of the home side's supporters made for the exit when Warriors five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita crossed in the 66th minute. Craig Fitzgibbon's men imploded after the break. A side once famed for their defensive steel, the Sharks have conceded 108 points across their past three games. "We work hard on that (defence) and it's a simple game," Fitzgibbon said. "Sometimes if you don't get the simple and the hardest parts right, that's what happens to you. "A lack of physicality in the second half cost us." The early warning signs were there for Cronulla as the rising Warriors started with promise and took the lead after just five minutes. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Adam Pompey gave the Kiwi side an early lead before Mawene Hiroti and KL Iro both hit back for the Sharks before halftime. Cronulla had an avenue back into the game, but they failed to take it, and in their first defensive test of the second half Fitzgibbon's side wilted. Vaimauga created the confusion as the young forward played a no-look short ball for James Fisher-Harris close to the goal line that allowed the prop to stroll in untouched. Vaimauga then nabbed a try of his own backing up a Metcalf break, before Halasima got in on the act by outjumping Sione Katoa and touching down in the in-goal. Harris-Tavita scored two tries in the final quarter of an hour, the first off a show-and-go that left the Sharks defence clutching at air. His second was an 80-metre runaway effort after intercepting a Nicho Hynes pass that will only add to the pressure on the Sharks. The Warriors have brushed Cronulla aside in a 40-10 win that has helped create a breakaway pack of four in the race for the NRL minor premiership. Marshalled by one-time Cronulla playmaker Luke Metcalf, the Warriors kept pace with fellow top-four contenders Canberra, Canterbury and Melbourne with victory in front of 13,727 at Shark Park on Saturday. Metcalf will take the plaudits for the Warriors' round 14 victory, but some of the Kiwi outfit's young forward talent - namely Demetric Vaimauga and Leka Halasima - trumped the Sharks for both flair and fight. The win for Andrew Webster's side, who led 12-10 at halftime, opens up a four-point buffer between the top four and Cronulla, who remain stuck in fifth after a second straight defeat. "I didn't know when it was going to come, but at halftime I was like, 'boys, we love these tight games'," Webster said. "I was rapt that we got the rewards late and I thought both our attack and defence complimented each other." The Sharks, meanwhile, are in real danger of slipping back into the chasing peloton. A large number of the home side's supporters made for the exit when Warriors five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita crossed in the 66th minute. Craig Fitzgibbon's men imploded after the break. A side once famed for their defensive steel, the Sharks have conceded 108 points across their past three games. "We work hard on that (defence) and it's a simple game," Fitzgibbon said. "Sometimes if you don't get the simple and the hardest parts right, that's what happens to you. "A lack of physicality in the second half cost us." The early warning signs were there for Cronulla as the rising Warriors started with promise and took the lead after just five minutes. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Adam Pompey gave the Kiwi side an early lead before Mawene Hiroti and KL Iro both hit back for the Sharks before halftime. Cronulla had an avenue back into the game, but they failed to take it, and in their first defensive test of the second half Fitzgibbon's side wilted. Vaimauga created the confusion as the young forward played a no-look short ball for James Fisher-Harris close to the goal line that allowed the prop to stroll in untouched. Vaimauga then nabbed a try of his own backing up a Metcalf break, before Halasima got in on the act by outjumping Sione Katoa and touching down in the in-goal. Harris-Tavita scored two tries in the final quarter of an hour, the first off a show-and-go that left the Sharks defence clutching at air. His second was an 80-metre runaway effort after intercepting a Nicho Hynes pass that will only add to the pressure on the Sharks.
