"I couldn’t have been more proud of them."
While coming in to their semi-final, against ultimate champions Auckland Steel, as the underdog on Saturday — the Wild finished fourth on the table — the home team was in the game every step of the way.
Tied at the end of regular time 2-all, the game went into overtime before a controversial call of stick-holding went against the Wild, leading to Auckland advancing to the gold medal game.
McIntosh says, understandably, the girls were "dejected" after the game, but they rallied to pull out all the stops during their bronze medal game, against Dunedin Thunder, on Sunday afternoon, winning 5-1.
Of Saturday’s match, McIntosh is effusive in his praise.
"The atmosphere and intensity of that game was the best game of the weekend — it was the best game of the season, to be honest.
"Everyone was extremely happy with how they played ... we weren’t panicked at all throughout the game, and then a late goal to go to overtime and three-on-three I’d put up against any team in the league.
"We definitely expected to win, but when we didn’t, right away I said ‘you can’t change what’s happened, just get a medal tomorrow’ — and that’s what we did."
Captain Kellye Nelson previously told Mountain Scene she had a feeling the side was about to click, and it happened.
"They were the best team on the weekend."
He’s also stoked the Wild secured bronze, meaning they’ve medalled in the NZWIHL every year the championships have been played, coming third in 2019, winning in 2022, the first year the finals were held post-Covid, and silver last year.
They’re already building towards next year, though.
"Obviously, the season’s done, we got our medal, won our last game, but the prep for 2025 starts this week."
As to whether McIntosh, who also plays for the champion SkyCity Stampede, returns as head coach next year, he says that will come down to scheduling.
The past couple of seasons he’s found himself in "quite the predicament", having to make a choice between playing for the Stampede or coaching the Wild when the two teams have games the same weekend.
"I put myself up for the Stampede, but I also commit to coaching, and it’s unfair to me, as a person and a coach, but also to both teams.
"We’ve made it apparent that, if possible, we’d like not to have any clashes with Wild and Stampede, just because we’re the only team that has a coach that plays.
"If all goes well, I’ll be back, because I like coaching, I like seeing the girls improve, and I like pushing their buttons," he laughs.
