World Footy News

In the second part of an article about the recently completed AFL New Zealand National Provincial Championships, WFN presents the story as told by Wellington's Assistant Coach Mark 'Langers" Langdon, with just a short footnote from a very proud former long-time Wellington Coach!

"The tournament began at 12.30 as the horn sounded (or was it a duck whistle – hard to tell). Once the game kicked off the Tigers were into it. Within 3 minutes we were two goals up and could have been on for a third. The Canterbury Cobra's coach, former NZ Falcon Jason 'Ballbags" Ball felt his team needed a bit extra in the midfield and promptly brought himself on. This met with much amusement from Wellington’s management as within one minute he had given away a 50m penalty.

The match ebbed and flowed and the Tigers mostly looked comfortable. However, some strong Canterbury marks and some silly errors in the Tigers’ backline kept the game very tight after quarter time. Ultimately, the Tigers prevailed to open the campaign account in the positive.

Goal Kickers
Wellington : Tuavao 3, Short-Plaister, Morgan 2
Canterbury : Burgess 3, Bradley, Marsden, Andrews 1

After some warm downs, the rest of game day one was given over to a pool recovery session (including water slides) and a team meal that night. Bed by 9 was the order of the day; in this narrator’s recollection.

Game day two started earlier than the first and was a bit more chaotic. For some, they had to check out of their rooms and pack to go home that night. For others, there was gear to shuffle around as we checked fully out of some rooms and stayed in others. Luckily the hotel was staffed with the elite of the hospitality industry and there was nothing to get in the way of our mental preparations for the coming day (how well does sarcasm come across in black and white?). Again, the vans hit the road to Oratia, this time will the full team in tow.

With an eye on both games, the coaches and managers began to plan out the day. There were provisions to purchase, tweaks to make from game one, a starting 18 to name for the Auckland game, benches and rotations to plan. One game at a time works for the players on the field and is great one week at a time, but with eight quarters to play that day in unfamiliar conditions (sun – who plays in sun?), this was deemed a critical aspect to get right.

Once the game started, the Tigers were quickly out of the blocks. The Tiger’s ruckman Pete Halstead, and Aussie rules novice whose previous experience had been 2 quarters three weeks previously, was on top at the ball-ups, but the mid-field and forwards were up against a classy opposition well prepared by former NZ Falcons Captain Andrew "Cogs" Congalton as coach.

Auckland started a little quicker, but the Tigers persisted, reeled them in and looked for the kill. Auckland, it seems, had other ideas and after a poor third quarter they started to get right into the game. Auckland had hit the front and held onto their lead but the Tigers didn’t give up. With less than two minutes to go, and trailing by two points, the Tigers goaled and then goaled again from a kick after the siren.

A close game, but a thrilling win – the first time in five years that the Tigers had beaten Auckland, and on their home turf too. Not only that, but at the end of the third quarter the previous six scoring shots had been goals – fantastic kicking.

Goal Kickers
Wellington : Morgan 2, Christensen 2, Halstead, Sherring, Tuavao, Terry, Reeves 1
Auckland : Clarke 2, Mundell, Hackett, McDowell, McGregor 1

No rest for the wicked though as the boys re-hydrated and did their warm-downs at the same time. Snacks were handed around and the coaches began to plan the next game, as the boys rested in the shade (how do these Aucklanders handle the constant sunshine without even a cooling breeze?). One by one the coaches talked to the players about their next assignments, rotation plans and who would miss out.

We were on top of the table after the Auckland game, but couldn’t afford to rest as we still needed to win to guarantee the championship.

Again Wellington started well against the Mooloo Men from the Waikato, kicking an early goal. The rest of the game the Tigers were in near complete control, apart from some ugly mucking around just after half time as happens with tired players. Legs were clearly getting weary, but the Tigers kept running, kept putting their bodies on the line, kept the un-selfish rotations going and kept up their hunger for the ball and for the man. The game eventually became a blow out as the Tigers refused to slow down.

An interesting side story began to unfold in the third quarter when Mac ‘Mack Attack’ Tuavoa went down in the pocket clutching at his calf. At that stage he was tied as leading goal scorer for the tournament (courtesy of awesome power and hands in the air and an opportunistic intercept mark from a team mates’ goal poached right on the line). He sat on the sidelines for a spell and then ran to the interchange to leave the field and ice-up. When he returned to the field in the final quarter the central umpire tried to send him off for violating interchange protocols. Some discussions ensued, including disagreements between umpires, but eventually he was allowed to stay. A short time later, he marked and goaled again, earning himself the Golden Boot trophy for the tournament. The team found it quite difficult to shut him up after that with a sum experience of 3 games of Aussie Rules ever before the NPC!

Goal Kickers
Wellington: Tuavoa 4, Kusel 3, Short-Plaister 2, McLean 1, Hammond 1, Garrick 1 Reeves 1, Christensen 1
Waikato : H.Mouritz, J.Smith 1

After the siren / duck whistle sounded, there were hugs all around and a quick rendition of Tiger Land. Unfortunately, despite all the time spent not being able to train outside, we hadn’t practised the song and it petered out a little after the second chorus, before finishing with a round of Raaahhhhhs!

Speeches and trophy presentations followed, with team coaches and officials all noting how well run the tournament had been and how spot on the ground and facilities were.

Tigers’ captain James Kusel lifted the NPC trophy for his team. Individual honours were also received by Andy Christensen, Tiger’s player of the tournament, and Mac Tuavoa, tournament leading goal kicker. The following Tigers were also named in a provisional New Zealand Hawks senior squad ahead of an international match coming up in March 2010.

Andy Christensen (Wellington City Saints)
Graham Rattenbury (Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs)
Dean Ellis (North City Demons)
James Kusel (Hutt Valley Eagles)

Post-game and post-presentation celebrations followed, but rules of the footy trip prevent further narration. The Wellington Tigers look forward to defending their title at the earliest opportunity."

Editor: The full NZ provisional squad included 7 of the NZ U 20 side that played twice over the weekend against the Victorian Amateurs U 18 side. This bodes very well for the future of NZ footy and, given many of these lads may have otherwise played for Auckland Senior Team, the result of the NPC may just have been different. However, they didn't and nothing should be taken away from a hugely inexperienced but obviously well prepared side playing on passion!

For more on the weekend see Wellington Tigers National Champions.