It’s taken 46 years of torturous heartache, but Green Island finally got to the mountain top when they held on for dear life to deny the Dunedin Sharks access to their goal line and win the Banner. They had to defend that line for the last 10 minutes as the Sharks battered away. Their supporters held their collective breaths for what seemed like an eternity, but it was worth the wait. Defence wins matches and on the strength of that alone GI deserved all the plaudits.
The Sharks will be wondering where it all went wrong. They dropped the ball three times with the line open and their vaunted lineout totally collapsed when they needed it most and that was ‘‘all she wrote’’. But GI was the story this year and to the victors go the spoils, so well done lads, a magnificent day for the suburbs of Green Island and Abbotsford.
I did wonder when I received 94 consecutive texts (I kid you not) at about 6.30pm on Saturday night whether they have enough going on in their lives! All the texts said the same thing, but I was left in no doubt as to who won the banner. A little birdie tells me Jason Bezett was behind this little ‘‘coup de grace’’ so hats off to you. I did get the last laugh when one of the army sent me a text at some ungodly hour with a picture of Jason asleep on the stage at the Toolbox, dead to the world! Rest assured the GI army celebrated from Saturday night right though to Monday evening. Speight’s have had the brewery on a 24-hour shift to keep the amber fluid up to them!
Kaik won the P2 final against GI with a last-minute penalty in a pulsating affair. In the senior final, the old stagers from the Eels got up late to defeat Kaik with the ‘‘Beadle bomb’’ running in a stunner from 60m to make the game safe.
Down on the farm
In Central, on the shores of Lake Wanaka in front of a crowd of 3000, Upper Clutha put the last few ‘‘near misses’’ behind them and put 40-plus points on Alex to win the title. Colin Clark, who sadly died a couple of weeks ago, would have been looking down from above on the club he founded with ‘‘PL’’ away back in 1970. Clarkey played nearly 50 games for Otago in the ’50s and ’60s to boot so the Upper Clutha boys have done him proud. Clutha Valley caused the boilover at the Market Garden in Outram when they kicked a last-minute penalty to dethrone the playing-through champs West Taieri. The real farmers were too strong for the gentleman farmers — great work lads.
Colts finals and the Ainge
The prem colts semifinals are on tomorrow, with Dunedin taking Varsity at Shark Park and Kaik taking Zingers on the High veldt. It looks suspiciously like a Dunedin v Kaik final at Tahuna Park next weekend. In junior colts, it is a straight final next weekend, also at Tahuna Park. The Dunedin Hammerheads have already made the final. They will be playing either Kaik or Harbour depending how the games go tomorrow. I suspect Kaik may just sneak through. Dunedin and Kaik will fight out the Ainge Shield again with Dunedin the slight favourites, but the last two weeks of both colts grades will determine the winner. GI will finish a meritorious third in the race.
Form XV for the year
I announced this last week on Rugby Chat so here it is for the wider audience. A few positions would have changed if I picked post the final. Most of it was clear-cut but centre and first five were extremely hard to pick.
Mackenzie Palmer (S), Finn Hurley (GI), Troy Anstiss (K), Hugo Lynch (V), Josh Augustine, Jacob Waikari-Jones (V), Brad Campbell (V), Konrad Toleafoa (S), Lucas Casey (K), Tofatuimoana Solia (Z), Reuben Palmer (D), James Bolton (D), Rohan Wingham (D), Heath MacEwan (GI), Ben Lopas (GI).
The dreaded report card
Alhambra-Union
For a club that reportedly were in merger talks with Harbour at the start of the season they survived pretty well. They ended up with seven teams to be numerically the second-strongest club. Their prems were ‘‘wooden spooners’’ but their prem women were beaten finalists. No standouts in the other grades but weren’t disgraced. Thus, the club is in reasonable heart (C+).
Dunedin
This was to be their year with the prem squad they put together, but they had a final to forget. They won the prem women’s grade, made the top 4 in P2s and seniors. Will possibly play finals in prem colts and junior colts and numerically are the strongest club with eight teams. Off the field, their clubrooms ‘‘rock’’ most Saturday nights and their junior club is thriving. But we can’t forget that final (B+).
Green Island
This was their year (46th year in fact!), winning the prem final and finishing top two in P2s. Their seniors made the top four and their colts team were mid to lower table. Numerically good with six teams and off the field they were top drawer. Just ask Speight’s. (A).
Harbour
This certainly wasn’t their year. Their prems were bottom three and their P2s weren’t much better, and they didn’t field a prem colts side. On the plus side they did field two junior colts sides with one of them a chance to make the final. Not sure what it’s like off the field and in the clubrooms because I’m currently blacklisted. (C-).
Kaikorai
Numerically seven teams in the club. Their prems made the top six, their P2s won the final and their open grade side narrowly missed out to Taieri. Their prem colts should make the final alongside their junior colts and are a good chance of winning the Ainge. Off the field they are going as well as ever and their clubrooms are humming. (B).
Southern
They only have four teams with their bottom three teams — P2s, prem colts and junior colts — languishing and they won only two games between them for the entire season. The prems were their shining light in making the top four. Off the field you could fire a shotgun in the clubrooms and not hit anybody. (C-).
Taieri
The Eels numbers have fallen dramatically with only four teams. Their prems finished bottom two and they had no P2s. Their seniors were the lamplighters, winning the grade. Their two colts sides were mid table at best. Even their after-matches were beginning to fall away — a lot of work to do. (C).
Varsity
Varsity numbers are on the improve with six teams. The prems made the semis and their P2s made the top six but they started with 10 players in the quarterfinals. Their prem colts are in the semis this weekend and their junior colts were also-rans. Their prem women made the semis. Off the field they are on the improve and their clubrooms are feeling better. (C).
Zingari
Numerically strong with six teams. Their prems made the top six and their P2s were top four. Their second grade and junior colts were also-rans, but their women’s team won the development grade. Their prem colts are in the semis this weekend, so the club is in good heart. Off the field the clubrooms are pumping most weekends. (B-).
