World Footy News

The Canterbury Cobras have won New Zealand's Senior National Provincial Championships (NPC) for the first time in the League’s history.

The tournament was played at Westminster Park Christchurch on the 23/24 October. The competition was blessed with brilliant weather and four committed teams battling out national honours. Early results on Saturday and Sunday resulted in the Canterbury and Auckland match providing the tournament winner. The Canterbury team boasted former AFL player Brett Frewen as well as two other key Australians, leading goal kicker Jesse Burgess and captain Todd Andrews with all providing a significant impact on the Cobras' success. New Zealand Hawks representative James Bowden led the way to a dominant performance over the Aucklanders and a first ever title victory.

The Auckland team provided two good performances in their early matches but an early three goal lead in the big match was just too hard to peg back. Auckland can still hold their heads highs as in a first for the New Zealand NPC, the Auckland team provided 22 players and coaching staff devoid of any expatriate Australians, which is a great sign for national squad selection for the upcoming International Cup.

In the final match the Waikato Thunder, attempting to win their first NPC match, failed by just four points in a close tussle against the rebuilding Wellington Tigers.

2010 Senior NPC Scores

GAME 1
CANTERBURY 8 9 57
WAIKATO 1 1 7

Goal Kickers
Canterbury :J. Burgess 4 J. Day 2 J. Fisher 1 T. Bailey 1
Waikato :A. Ferguson1
Best Players
Canterbury :Jesse Burgess, Jamie Day, Steve Howard
Waikato : Aaron Ferguson

GAME 2
WELLINGTON 0 6 6
AUCKLAND 10 12 72
Goal Kickers
Wellington :Nil
Auckland : C. Mundell 3 B. Clarke 3 A.Crighton 2 A. Marsden 1 F. Worthington 1
Best Players
Wellington :Jason Cox
Auckland : Andrew Marsden, Chris Mundell, James Monaghan

GAME 3
WAIKATO 3 2 20
AUCKLAND 9 3 57
Goal Kickers
Waikato : J. Quinn-Casey 1 A. Spyksma1
Auckland : M. Hackett 3 N.Middleton 2 D. McGregor 1 A. Crighton 1 T. Mcarley1 A. Buckthought1
Best Players
Waikato : Luke Kneebone, Owen Lee-Cusack, Scott Van Den Behm
Auckland : John Maling

GAME 4
WELLINGTON 0 8 8
CANTERBURY 13 9 87
Goal Kickers
Wellington :Nil
Canterbury :J.Burgess 4 B. Frewen 2 M. Rushton: 2 Z. Williams 2
Best Players
Wellington :Andy Christensen
Canterbury: Bret tFrewen, James Bowden,
Todd Andrews


GAME 5
CANTERBURY 5 9 39
AUCKLAND 4 4 28
Goal Kickers
Canterbury :J.Burgess 2 B. Frewen1 J. Hopkins 1 M. Rushton 1
Auckland : A Crighton 1, McArley 1, Rattenbury 1, Monaghan1
Best Players
Canterbury :James Bowden, Todd Andrews
Auckland : Andrew Crighton, Dan McGregor

GAME 6
WAIKATO 3 7 25
WELLINGTON 4 4 28
Goal Kickers
Waikato : J.Quinn-Casey 2 M. Van Wijk 1
Wellington: D.Morgan, T.Robinson, C.Teniseli
Best Players
Waikato : Owen Lee-Cusack, Aaron Ferguson
Wellington: Matthew Poole, Michael Jackson

TEAM Pts

CANTERBURY 12
AUCKLAND 8
WELLINGTON 4
WAIKATO 0

PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT

James Bowden Canterbury

LEADING GOAL SCORER

Jesse Burgess (12 goals)

LEAGUES BEST

Auckland Michael Tagg
Canterbury Tim Bailey
Waikato Luke Kneebone
Wellington Andy Christensen

For more see http://www.nzafl.co.nz/News/CobrasStr...fault.aspx