What in the Miller Park is going on at Green Island?
The Grizzlies have had to get creative this season.
The team was struggling for numbers early on. Those numbers are still an issue. But now there are too many forwards and not quite enough backs.
Coach Hayden Finch has been forced to think inside the circle.
That is how prop Shane Fikken ended up on the blindside against Harbour two weeks ago.
Loosie Jesse Va’afusuaga slotted into second five in that game.
Flanker Ronan Dynes has been admirably filling in at lock all season.
It is organised chaos and it seems to working as well as can be expected.
Green Island clings on to fifth place but the team has a tough run ahead, starting with Taieri tomorrow.
"We’ve been a bit light on backs, so we’ve had to be a wee bit inventive," Finch said.
"We’ve had Delaney McKenzie playing 12 and we’ve had Jesse playing there."
As for Fikken playing on the loose, well, his GPS results showed he was covering more ground than just about everyone else, so call it a promotion.
No word on whether he will play there again tomorrow. That might depend on whether Highlanders back-up loosie Oliver Haig is available or not.
Haig would be a huge asset against a team that has just showed a few cracks in recent weeks.
Taieri was upset 13-12 by University and it scratched out a tense 15-13 win over Harbour last weekend.
"Everyone looks forward to the Battle of the Saddle. We were fortunately enough to have had the bye in the weekend to freshen up.
"We look forward to going over the hill and playing them on their 140th [anniversary]. We’re backing ourselves to give it a real red hot shot."
The games do not get any easier for the Grizzlies this month. They will host Kaikorai in round 10 and Southern
in round 11, before heading
to Kettle Park for a game against Dunedin. It is a season-defining stretch for the side.
Alhambra-Union, holding its 150th celebrations this weekend, will host Dunedin in what shapes as a difficult encounter for the struggling Broncos.
Harbour is at home to Kaikorai and will be desperate for a win following a string of close losses, while University will take on Southern at the University Oval for the Cavanagh Memorial.
