All Whites deserve Halberg Awards' team prize

BY MARC HINTON

OPINION: The purists won't like it, but I only hope the Halberg Awards judges have the vision, veracity and verve to select the All Whites as their New Zealand sporting team of the year.

They're certainly mine.

Ricki Herbert's men, who late in 2009 became just the second New Zealand side to qualify for the planet's most prestigious sporting event, the football World Cup, deserve to be recognised with their country's ultimate honour.

Of that I have no doubt. By strolling through an admittedly weak Oceania division and then beating Bahrain over a thrilling two-leg qualifier, the country's finest footballers earned the right to dine at sport's most lavish banquet. That in itself must be hailed as a momentous achievement.

But as is the way in these things, I have no doubt that should they be anointed thus, there would also be a hue and cry from traditionalists looking to paint a black and white picture in what really is a multi-coloured world.

Looking at the mere facts, the All Whites don't stand a chance. They're up against two world champion rowing crews in the pair of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond and the lightweight double scull of Storm Uru and Peter Taylor and women's sailing 420 world champs Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher.

Those three tandems slayed the best in the world in their sports and lifted their division's ultimate prize. Wonderful achievements all.

All the footballers did was cruise past a collection of South Seas island teams and then prevail – by the narrowest of margins – against the fifth-placed finisher from Asia. On the surface, not exactly an earth-shattering accomplishment.

But the reality is, the ends actually overshadow the means, if you get my drift.

The All Whites repeated the feat of their 1982 predecessors and made it to the World Cup finals. End of. They didn't choose their qualifying route (though it could be argued the rather generous pathway might indicate they did) and the truth of the matter is they could only do what they were charged with.

Having safely secured their passage out of Oceania – admittedly a feat with about as much difficulty as tying your shoelaces – they then took care of business against a pretty formidable, and well-resourced, side in the form of Bahrain.

But how can qualifying for a world event be better than actually winning one?

Good question. But I firmly believe a case can be made to say that the All Whites' feat was every bit as significant as a rowing pair winning just one of a dozen or so sections at a world regatta, or a sailing duo achieving likewise. Never mind a combination competing in a division restricted by weight.

As mentioned this is not a case of black and white, even if it is firmly about teams wearing those two stark colours.

For starters the Halbergs have always been about subjectivity – about comparing apples with oranges. Who's to say one sporting feat is better than another? There is no defining criteria here, just the judgement of some supposedly wise people who will have their own prejudices and preconceptions.

But my point is what the All Whites achieved by making sport's greatest event is so important and so meritorious that it deserves to be placed on a plateau.

Let's introduce another criteria. Who made the greatest impact with their achievements? Which will live longest in New Zealand's collective sporting memory?

I'm not going out on too great a limb here by suggesting it will be the footballers. As fabulously as the rowers rowed and the sailors sailed, Mark Paston's magnificent penalty save and Rory Fallon's majestic header home will remain defining memories for many, many years to come.

And I'm reliably informed – though I was thousands of miles on the other side of the world at the time – that the atmosphere at Wellington's sold-out Cake Tin that night was one of the finest for a sporting event in New Zealand. It positively sizzled, even on a typically brutal night in the capital.

There's also a precedent for honouring the All Whites ahead of world champions come the big night on February 4.

Way back in 2002 the Tall Blacks finished fourth at basketball's world championships in Indianapolis, and were deservedly anointed not only team of the year but supreme Halberg Award winners, ahead of global champions in other pursuits. On that occasion the panel were able to put in perspective what the hoopsters had achieved.

This time something similar has to be decided about the All Whites. They've ignited their sport, they've shown the paupers can roll the princes, they've continued the World Cup legacy of those wonderful '82 heroes. And they've done it in the world's biggest sport.

A couple of further thoughts to finish on around the Halbergs. Valerie Vili completes a magnificent hat-trick and lifts the supreme award for the third year running. Though Alison Shanks runs her possibly closer than she has ever been with that cycling world title.

And though Mahe Drysdale walks off with the men's title, maybe, just maybe, he's given a hurryup by cricket's man for all seasons, Daniel Vettori. Not since Richard Hadlee, has there be an individual force so dominant in the Black Caps, and surely his singular importance to his team is worthy of some consideration alongside Drysdale's dominance in rowing's single sculls.

Below are the finalists in the respective categories for the February 4 Halberg Awards. Who are your winners? Vote in our related polls.

Sportsman of the year: Scott Dixon (motor sport), Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Duncan Grant (rowing), Richie McCaw (rugby), Daniel Vettori (cricket).

Sportswoman of the year: Sophie Pascoe (swimming), Alison Shanks (cycling), Valerie Vili (athletics), Sarah Walker (BMX cycling).

Team of the year: All Whites (football), men's senior pair (rowing), men's lightweight double scull (rowing), women's 420 (sailing).

Coach of the year: Richard Tonks (rowing), Tim Carswell (cycling), Ricki Herbert (football), Kirsten Hellier (athletics).

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