It seemed to sum up what has been a slog of a season for Conte -even at the good moments, he could have gripes.

I had gripes of colic once, but the pain I had in my head was twenty times worse, till you gave the opiate.

Though he was happy with the programme and its impact, the veteran presenter still had gripes about the national broadcaster, which he gleefully aired.

TVNZ has also had gripes about the volume of ads interrupting the action, described by news outlets as "a string" and "an avalanche" of complaints.