The Wrap Aussie Ash Gentle Wins Her Tenth Consecutive Noosa Triathlon

Welcome to The Wrap, a weekly podcast covering women's sport news.

This week, we're joined by another special co-host, my dear friend, Sarah Nagwama.

It's a Sez and Bez show.

I love that.

You may know Sez from representing the Wallaroos, her media icon-ness, and she's a former Waratah.

We'll let that go on.

We'll unpack that another time.

Sez, what have we got around the grounds this week?

North Melbourne have finished their AFLW season undefeated to claim the minor premiership.

The Matildas have been in Germany for just the second time in history, and Ash Gentle

has won her 10th consecutive Noosa Triathlon.

For the key story, we'll discuss the new five-year broadcast deal signed for the Women's Super

League in England that's been hailed as the country's most significant broadcast partnership

for women's soccer ever.

Huge.

My name is Bez.

We are recording on Gadigal land.

A little exciting thing happened last night.

We announced TFAP award winners.

It was an amazing recording and just a culmination.

All of the incredible athletes that were nominated and administrators and all those people

that make women's sport what it was.

If you haven't seen it, jump on our socials, get around it.

There's some great videos there from some winners and just some real coolness.

Let's take a look around the grounds.

In AFLW, Hawthorne has defeated Richmond in the final round of the AFLW by 23 points,

locking up second place on the ladder.

End the $1 million.

The McLelland, a tough one, trophy.

So what is the McLelland trophy, you ask me, says?

It is, it recognizes the champion club.

So it's across the men's and the women's team who's competitions who have accumulated the

most points in their home and away seasons.

So the Brisbane Lions defeated St. Kilda earlier in the weekend, and that meant that Hawthorne

needed a win or a draw against Richmond to take the $1 million prize.

Hawthorne finished on a combined 136 points following their win against Richmond with

80 points.

In AFLW and 56 in the AFL men, we'll call it, while the Brisbane Lions finished second

on 130 points.

The million dollar prize will be distributed equally with $250,000 going to the AFLW playing

group, $250,000 to the AFL men's playing group, $250,000 to the club's football department

and $250,000 to the club.

I love that little bit of incentive across the board for everyone to succeed.

So back to the game, it was a slow start for both sides with the deadlock not broken until

five minutes into the second term.

Meanwhile, it was back and forth in the third quarter with just two points separating the

sides heading into that final quarter.

But it was Hawthorne who were ready to swoop, scoring four goals to Richmond's one.

The win capped off with a stunning intercept turned goal from Caitlin Ashmore to see the

game finish 46 to 23.

In hockey, the New South Wales Pride have recorded their first win of the season in

emphatic fashion with a 6-1 win over Hockey Club Melbourne.

Pride captain Avi Wilson made his debut in the game becoming the first player in the

league.

To score five goals in a single match, she was on the end of some clinical deliveries

from team outs while showing incredible individual brilliance.

At the same time in the dominant display, Pride coach Scott Barker, who was also a colleague

of mine at Sydney Uni, I just wanted to plug that there, sup Scotty, told media Wilson

has used missing out on Olympics as motivation.

She was extremely disappointed to miss the Olympics.

She put it behind her and has been moving forward.

Australia play in the Pro League in February and if she continues like she is then she'll

break back in.

We have focused on making her a more versatile player.

Distribute her and a goal shooter and she has exceeded so well so far.

Excellent.

In netball news, the Diamonds claimed a consolation constellation cup win.

I always have to think about how to say that word.

Well, it was so it was an important 63 to victory over the Silver Ferns in the final

test of the 2024 Constellation Cup after three losses in a row.

So it was a nice one to finish off with despite a goal for goal start and a chaotic second

quarter.

The Diamonds shone bright after halftime to come away with.

With the win, the defensive end was on fire from the starting whistle with Courtney Bruce

and Sunday Ariang impenetrable in the back third as they smothered Kiwi superstar goal

shooter Grace Nowecki.

While defense was the key to win because we all know defense wins trophies, a shooting

accuracy of 95% ensured Diamonds punished a wasteful Silver Ferns on the scoreboard.

Player of the match, Kira Austin, typified the Diamonds win, nailing 27 of her 30 shots

on goal and a vital intercept deep into the fourth quarter to Iceland.

Over the WBBL, Sophie Molyneux has guided the Melbourne Renegades to a thrilling two

wicket win over the Adelaide Strikers that came down to the final ball.

Talia McGrath notched up 64 not out to guide the Strikers to a 5-157 in the first innings.

And the reigning champions looked like the winners when they reduced the host 3-0-9 in

their run chase at the end of the power play.

But Renegades captain Sophie Molyneux launched a stunning response, blasting the equal third

fastest 50 in 10 minutes.

And the WBBL history from just 21 balls on her way to 64 off 32 deliveries.

Molyneux's knock included nine fours and three sixes.

But there was still work for the Renegades to do.

And the contest went down to the wire with Nicole Fulton hitting the winning runs of

the final ball of the innings to help the Renegades to their second win of the season

by just a run.

Molyneux told Fox Sports, it was just one of those days.

And when you've got a batting order like ours, I knew that if you have people coming in after

you that you can get the job done, which was great.

In A-League women's, there's a lot of returning competitions at the moment, which is great.

So obviously WBBL's back, football's back and the WNBL's back.

But in the football, a stunning strike from super sub Ava Breedis in the 92nd minute has

helped Melbourne victory to a 3-2 win over Adelaide United in the original rivalry match.

It was a fast start to the game with Emily Gilnick taking just four minutes to open her

account for the new A-League season.

While the Reds got one bat courtesy of Fiona Warts, Gilnick struck again.

Heading home a second in first half stoppage time.

Warts bagged her second in the game in the 71st minute to make it 2-2.

It was a Warts and Gilnick show.

Ava Breedis came on for Matilda's double goal, goal scorer Gilnick and picked up a loose ball

inside the box before lacing one past Adelaide keeper Claudia Jenkins to seal the sweetest

of victories on the opening day.

Over in the WNBL, the Perthlings have outshone reigning WNBL champions at the Southside Flyers

with a 94-79 victory in the opening round of the WNBL season.

It was a high-scoring opening from both teams in last year's grand final rematch with both

teams combining for 58 points in the first quarter with the Lynx leading by four at quarter

time.

But the game was blown open in the second with the Lynx outscoring the Flyers in the

second to lead 57-45 at the main break.

Then in the third quarter, the Lynx put the result beyond all doubt starting with a 40-4

run to outscore the Flyers 29 points to 12 which led to the eventual 31-point lead and

finally the 15-point victory.

And in football.

Let me tell you about that.

The Steelers have defeated Germany for just the second time in history with a huge 2-1

win.

Germany started strongly dominating shots and possession even and Selena Churchy made

no mistake in front of goal converting a header to give the home side the lead.

But it was a remarkable moment soon after that turned the game on its head.

After receiving the ball from a turnover in midfield, Kyra Cooney-Cross looked up and

saw goalkeeper Stina Johannes off her line and a shot from near halfway hit with pinpoint

hit.

That was the first goal of the season for the team to equalise for Australia.

That absolute peach of a strike was Cooney-Cross's first international goal.

Did you see it?

It was pretty impressive, wasn't it?

Yes, it was.

Yeah.

Just turned around and said, hey, I see you off your line.

I'm going to put it in the net.

Australia then took the lead in the 78th minute when Steph Catley swung in a corner that found

the head of Claire Hunt who also registered her first international goal.

There was a whole heap of cherries being popped on the weekend, last week even.

Germany pushed for an equaliser in the final moments but the brick wall Mackenzie Arnold

wouldn't be bettered.

And with seconds ticking down.

Was forced into arguably her finest save of the match, securing the win for the Tillys.

After the game, Kyra Cooney-Cross told media, I couldn't stop thinking about it after I

scored.

It just feels like a big relief and a weight off my shoulders.

Stoked for that kid.

Seems like she's been around forever.

She's still only a baby.

Those are the scary athletes.

Yeah.

When their best days are still yet ahead of them.

Literally.

Kyra Cooney-Cross's best days are very much ahead of her.

It's very exciting.

We're here for it nonetheless.

At the New South Triathlon over the weekend, Aussie Ash Gentle claimed her 10th consecutive

and 11th overall victory at the event.

But it wasn't easy.

I mean, are triathlons ever easy?

Are triathlons ever easy?

Look, I could do it but I just couldn't do a swim part.

And if I did the run, I'd need a couple of puffers.

Oh my goodness.

You and your puffers.

That's a whole other story.

But it's funny because it's the person that sits in that chair inadvertently can't swim.

It's some, Chloe reckons she also would be great at triathlons except for the swim part.

Okay.

So it's just this left-handed side to seat.

Just that seat.

Yeah.

Okay.

Cool.

I mean, I've always wanted to have something comfortable.

I'm Chloe, so we can bond over that.

Gentle found herself in an unfamiliar position emerging from the 1.5 kilometre swim with

a significant deficit of one minute and 20 seconds behind early leader Michaela Messer.

The gap was notably larger than her usual swim splits at New South.

She must have been watching you swim.

Oh, girl, I'm with you right there.

For on a Wednesday, still better than me on my best.

The bike league proved to be the turning point, working with the power and precision that

has marked her successful transition to longer distance racing this year.

Gentle methodically worked her way through the field.

By the halfway point of the 40 kilometre ride, she had not only bridged the gap, but moved

into the lead, a position she wouldn't relinquish.

After the race, gentle said, myself and my whole family have made a tradition.

It's part of what we do.

All my family is coming to support me.

To be able to do that with my family every year is really special.

What a woman.

So good.

Let's take a look at the key story.

This is a really interesting one.

So we love it when people, we read about.

People investing in women's sport.

And this is a really significant one because the investment allows for visibility.

So we're a win-win here.

The women's super league, the WSL has signed a five-year rights extension with Sky Sports

and the BBC hailing it as the most significant broadcasts on to ship ever for women's soccer

in the UK.

The new deal, which runs until the end of the 2029, 2030 season.

Is this the future?

I can't deal with 2030.

Anyway, I digress.

It's worth approximately.

A U D.

$125 million at approximately 25 million.

These are all a U D numbers per season.

The latest contract represents a significant increase on the WSL's current agreement with

sky and the BBC, which is understood to be worth a maximum of 15 million annually.

Sky, which continues as the WSL's lead broadcast partner will show up to 118 matches per

season with 78 on an exclusive basis and will receive 75% of the first choice picks for the

remaining game.

The games at 34 will be shared non-exclusively between sky and women's professional leagues limited WPLL YouTube channel, and seven will be broadcast on both sky and the BBC all told the BBC will show 21 matches across its platforms, including 14 exclusively on BBC television.

Importantly, any matches not selected for live television broadcast will be shown live on the WPLL YouTube channel as part of an expansion of the new partnership agreed with the streaming platform this summer.

It means.

Fans will be able to watch all 132 games in a WSL season live, either on television or online.

I love that.

I love that the YouTube channel is picking up the slack.

So the BBC and sky obviously get first shot, but anything that's not shown by them, YouTube are going to pick up the accessibility is next level and it just, you know, allows fans of all teams to get involved.

It's amazing.

It's going to revolutionize their game as well as a top flight WSL sky has the option to show matches from the second tier.

Women's.

Yeah.

I've been sheep and women's league cup competition, including the final.

This brings both competitions onto sky for the first time.

Furthermore, in game and post game rights have been granted to players to use for the first time, meaning plays will be given digital rights to show their own highlight clips on their social media channels.

Damn.

That arrangement is seen as being unique to the WSL and will help players enhance their brands.

Okay.

I've got two questions for you.

First one.

First one is how many, um, let's talk about an average game of yours.

We're talking 80 minutes.

Highlights take up what, how long, uh, 30 seconds, cause you know, you know, sometimes it's the quality, not the quantity.

That's right.

Yeah.

That piece is important friend.

Um, no, it, in all seriousness, no, that, that is so important that female athletes can get access to those highlights to put on their own channels so that they're like, again, it's about visibility.

People can engage through directly through the athlete.

100%.

And exposure is so underrated, particularly in the women's game.

And when you have.

I have so much red tape around what you can share on your own personal profile, it does actually stifle your ability to put your name out there and also show your athleticism.

So this is huge.

It's groundbreaking.

And it just goes to show that it can be done.

Love that.

Women's professional leagues, chief executive, Nikki Dowsett says the growth of the game is undeniable.

And this deal is another step in the right direction and positive news for the fans, the players and the clubs sky and the BBC a long time backers and their contribution to the growth of the women's game should not go unrecognized.

Okay.

Nice.

Well done, WSL.

Let's take a look at what to watch.

First up, we have a cliff diving at the 2024 Red Bull cliff diving season wraps up in Sydney this weekend and two champions will be crowned around one diving kicks off this Friday at 1245 PM with the finals to be held at 3 30 PM on Sunday.

You can watch the whole event on Red Bulls TV's YouTube channel.

And if you're in Sydney, get on down there.

It's they're diving into the harbor off Mrs.

McCrory's chair.

Absolutely.

Amazing.

Rana Ifland.

We did a quick shoot with her a couple of weeks ago.

He is amazing.

I think she's about to win her.

It's already decided she's going to win her eighth title in a row.

That's crazy.

Absolute goat of diving off tall things in AFLW.

It's finals time.

How exciting.

It's set to be a cracker with four games across the weekend.

The first kicks off this Friday night at 7 15 PM when minor premiers at North Melbourne take on the fourth place to Adelaide Crows.

You can watch it all live on Fox footy in the seven network.

In WBB.

L it is Melbourne Derby this weekend when the renegades host the stars at Junction Oval.

The match starts at 3 PM.

AEDT on Saturday.

You can catch it all on KO Sports and the seven network and in football.

It's also a Derby.

It's Derby Day everywhere in Melbourne.

So it's the Melbourne Derby on Saturday between the Melbourne Victory and the Melbourne City at Amy Park.

Kickoff will be 2 15 PM and the game will be live on Paramount Plus in WNB of the Southside Flyers.

We're playing the second game in three days when they host the Sydney Flames this Saturday.

At 5 PM.

AEDT at the State Basketball Centre.

You can watch it live and free online now.

And the Pacific Championships finals this weekend.

The Women's Pacific Cup final will see a rematch of the 2023 to side up with the Jillaroos hoping to turn the tables on New Zealand Kiwi Ferns on Sunday at 1 50 PM.

AEDT in catch all the action live from combat stadium in Parramatta.

Even better.

Get out there if you can.

It'll be on the nine network and that is the wrap and I will see you next week because you are back.

I can't wait.

I can't wait.

I think.

Thank you so much Susie and thanks everyone for the TPAP awards support again.

We loved it.

Bye bye.