. . . sport stars of the future
Our worldbeaters in waiting.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Rugby league)
Flash name, f lash future. Terms like wonder kid are thrown around like confetti in the NRL but the hype around Watene-Zelezniak seems well founded. After being one of the standouts in Penrith’s Holden Cup grand final win last year, the Hamilton-born teenager adapted seamlessly to the top grade this season when given a chance through an injury to David Simmons.
He turned 19 only last month but has already played finals football, scored six tries in nine NRL games and is a strong contender for a Kiwis spot. He played for the New South Wales under-20s last year but pledged his allegiance to New Zealand after he had been picked by both the Junior Kiwis and Junior Kangaroos.
It was partly out of respect for his grandfather Steve Watene, who captained the Kiwis in the 1930s, and also because he admitted it wouldn’t feel right to be a spectator as the New Zealand side sung their anthem and did the haka.
Matt Ridenton (Football)
It’s not always easy being the son of a former international but Matt Ridenton has taken it in his stride. Father Michael was a combative defender for the All Whites and had a stint in England with Rotherham. Ridenton junior brings silk as well as steel and earned a threeyear Phoenix contract while still at St Kentigern College, where Michael coaches the 1st XI. Matt made his A-League debut weeks after finishing his exams. Despite his youth, Ridenton showed rare composure in midfield and made 13 appearances for the Phoenix last season as well as a debut for the All Whites.
He’s always been a prodigious talent — as a 16-year-old, he was recognised as the most valuable player by two Barcelona scouts at a Nike all-Asia football camp — but seems well equipped to make that difficult step from promise to professional. Aside from developing under the watchful eyes of Ernie Merrick, Ridenton will have his chance on the world stage at next year’s Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand.
Temalisi Fakahokotau (Netball)
The 20-year-old only made her ANZ Championship debut in March but don’t be surprised if she becomes a key weapon at i nter nat ional level in the next few years. Of Tongan descent, Fakahokotau is a powerful, athletic defender who has already been compared with former Silver Fern Vilimaina Davu and possesses the kind of raw ability not seen for some time.
Recognised as a talent at youth level, her performances for the Mystics this year had everybody talking and she ranked fifth in the league for intercepts, despite not playing the full season.
She was particularly impressive against Caitlin Bassett, which ranks her as a serious option for the world championships in Sydney next year, as Wai Taumaunu has yet to find a way to consistently stop the 1.93m West Coast Fever shooter. Fakahokotau was one of two new caps in Taumaunu’s latest national squad and may get some court time during the Constellation Cup.
Damien McKenzie (Rugby)
There are so many supposed next best things that come along in New Zealand rugby that it’s best to tune out, give the hype a year or so and see if there are any hot prospects still standing. It’s a little different with the 19-year-old Damian McKenzie, who has already been signed by the Chiefs and is expected to play a fair bit for them at first-five next year. It says everything that Dave Rennie is convinced — the Chiefs coach is one of the most astute talent spotters in the country and isn’t often wrong.
What marks McKenzie out is his composure, decisiveness and allround skill-set. That was apparent when he captained Christ’s College 1st XV and when he played for the New Zealand Schools and Under-20s this year.
He looks as well balanced as Daniel Carter at the same age, if perhaps not yet as polished. At 78kg, he’s going to have to find some bulk to survive but few doubt he’ll fill out and, with it, gain the confidence to impose himself.
Michael Bracewell (Cricket)
Sure, there’s the family legacy but each Bracewell must be judged on their individual merits. Michael is steadily building a record as a solid top-order batsman.
His 845 first-class runs at 52.81 for Otago last season have put him in the national frame. With a congested middle order and Kane Williamson’s mortgage on first drop, opening is the 23-year-old’s best bet. He scored a one-day century for New Zealand A against Scotland last month and spent the English summer playing at the Downend club in Gloucestershire.
In 2009, Bracewell was New Zealand’s representative on the Lord’s groundstaff, a role whose alumni include greats such as Martin Crowe and Ross Taylor.
Tai Wynyard (Basketball)
While there has rightfully been much fawning over Steven Adams’ early efforts in the NBA, New Zealand possess another player with the potential to surpass his compatriot. At just 16, Rangitoto College student Tai Wynyard has already made quite an impact on the Kiwi basketball scene. In the last season alone, he broke into the Breakers ANBL squad, became the youngest ever player to represent the Tall Blacks and was invited to play in front of the greatest of all time at the Jordan Brand Classic.
In the Breakers’ first pre-season game in Brisbane last month, Wynyard scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 15 minutes
off the bench, with his combination of size and athleticism creating an immediate impact. It’s no wonder John Calipari, the 2012 NCAA championship-winning coach at the University of Kentucky, was recently rumoured to be targeting the schoolboy.
Gabrielle Fa’amausili (Swimming)
It is a remarkable progression for Gabrielle Fa’amausili, who nearly drowned as a 3-year-old. She didn’t go near a pool for three years, started competing at nine and decided it would be the sport she would pursue when 12.
Last year, at just 13 and at her first major international meet, she was the youngest in the world junior championships 50m backstroke final in Dubai but led throughout to win in a time of 28.64s, half a second outside the world record of 28.14s she set in the heat. Two months later, she won the New Zealand title in the 50m freestyle, beating Olympians Lauren Boyle and Hayley Palmer, and then won the Halberg Emerging Talent Award.
Fa’amausili was f lag bearer at the recent Youth Olympic Games, where she picked up bronze in the 50m backstroke against competitors aged up to 18, and has her eyes on competing at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Men’s under-23 eight (Rowing)
The identical crews of 2013 and 2014 showed a development opportunity for Rowing New Zealand in the blue riband discipline at their world championships in Varese, Italy. The dream of moulding an Olympic gold me da l - w i n n i n g eight to match New Zealand’s 1972 heroes remains alive. The crew of Stephen Jones, Brook Robertson, Alex Kennedy, Joe Wright, Finn Howard, Shaun Kirkham, Isaac Grainger, Tom Murray and coxswain Caleb Shepherd were brief ly challenged by the US in the middle stanzas before powering to the finish. There’s enough height and natural ability to justify persevering with the majority of the crew through to the 2016 Rio Olympics and beyond to Tokyo. A legacy is being built under the coaching of former Olympic bronze medallist Ian Wright.
Daniel Hoy (Triathlon)
New Zealand triathlon needs a new champion after too many lean years and Daniel Hoy might just be the answer.
Hoy is still only 16 but shows considerable promise. In August, he claimed silver at the Youth Olympic Games in China, missing gold in a photo finish behind Britain’s Ben Dijkstra. He also finished second in the ITU Oceania under-23 sprint triathlon championships when still only 15.
Encouragingly in a sport increasingly dominated by gazelles, Hoy’s strongest discipline is running. In fact, his coach believes he could make it as a middle distance runner but he finds it boring restricted to one discipline. He won both the junior 1500m and 300m at last year’s national schools track and field championships, and his time of 3m 58.96s in the 1500m broke a 36-year record and was faster than that of the senior champion.
Hoy has his eyes on the 2020 Olympics in Japan, by which time he will be 21. TriNZ will hope the future has arrived by then.
Emily Fraser (Equestrian)
Fraser told TVNZ she wrote ‘fat and heavy’ in the margin beside Exilio, after inspecting the horse she was eventually allocated before the showjumping final at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing. The 18-year-old questioned how she’d get around the course. She needn’t have worried. Fraser rode the horse clear over two rounds and again in the jump-off for medals after going first. “I just hugged my horse, I was so excited and I burst into tears,” Fraser said about the mount she’d met 10 days before. Equestrian Sports New Zealand is always looking for riders to bridge the gap between Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson to the future. Fraser’s a contender. She has plans to work in the equine industry in Germany next year.