Sir Peter Leitch’s Mad Butcher Club AT MT SMART STADIUM, HOME OF THE MIGHTY VODAFONE WARRIORS 2 April 2015 Newsletter #66 To subscribe or unsubscribe email: [email protected] Black Caps You Did Your Country Proud! Photos courtesy of www.photosport.co.nz was meant to be a fabulous weekend for New Zealand sport, but the Blues lost, the Crusaders lost, the IT Phoenix lost, the Sevens lost, we lost, and worst of all, the Black Caps lost the World Cup final. A paltry 183 was never going to be enough and Australia cruised to the title. But we live to fight another day. It is only a game of sport, and we need to keep it in perspective. There are people fighting illnesses and suffering other problems in their lives, and it is only a game. And to be fair, the Black Caps have given us much to smile about over the length of the tournament. As I have said, I have never been much of a cricket fan until now. The Black Caps have taken me on a terrific jour- ney and even if we did not get the big prize, I am proud of how they played, and the fine wins in tight games will live with me a long time. So despite all the promise, we ended up empty-handed. But my thanks to the Black Caps – you have been magnificent, and turned a retired butch- er into a lifelong fan! Happy Easter RISBANE spoiled our first penalty a blind man could have Stars Turn Out Bever opening night in 1995 thrown over, and we were minutes and did it again on Sunday when from defeat at 18-16 down. In the lounge we had a host of they won our 20th anniversary stars. match 24-16. What was a dismal day was made even worse when the Broncos I had been out on the Saturday Win and it would be three from scored on the death to make it night with two legends, Andrew four for the Vodafone Warriors, 24-16. Johns and Wally Lewis, and they but it was not to be. both visited the lounge, as did players from the inaugural season I know fans were grumpy with Whetu Taewa, some of the refereeing, and when Matt Cecchin indicated a try to us Mike Doreen, Gene Ngamu and early on, there were boos all round Logan Edwards. when the video ref overturned it for a knock-on. The tallest boxer in the world, 7-footer Julious Long from Detroit I should have known it wouldn’t Ryan Hoffman, left, and Nathan was there. He fights in Auckland be our day because if that was bad, Friend celebrate the try of Solomone on April 17 and I would not like to it got worse, a lot worse. Kata (at rear). be the man in the other corner. We made more mistakes in the TV show The Crowd Goes Wild first half than a kid in a spelling presenters Andrew Mulligan and bee, and we were just horrible, go- Mark Richardson dropped in, ing in at halftime 16-0 down, and with the former Black Cap look- awfully lucky it was not a lot more. ing pretty good for a man who had just completed a triathlon. At one stage the Broncos had 25 Photos courtesy of Mark was quick to give us his sets and completed 23 of them www.photosport.co.nz insights into the looming World while we managed only nine Cup Cricket final that was our last from 14. The Broncos also led the Shaun Johnson in action. chance to salvage something from penalties 4-2 and made just three the weekend. errors to our 11. As we all know, it was not to be. When that happens, you are going to do a lot of tackling, 215 of them Check out the photos later in the to the Broncos 102. newsletter! And when that happens, you al- most always pay the price. Happy Easter Solomone Kata shrugs off a tackle. But amazingly we clawed our way Have a good one! back into it. Chad Townsend scored and Shaun Johnson converted, then Matt Allwood got his first try for us, and and Solomone Kata locked it up at 16-16. Johnson won’t know how he missed but he did and before we Simon Mannering offloads the ball. knew it Cecchin had blown a Mad Butcher Club Newsletter Page 2 Good for a Laugh 50th appearance in the first home meet fourth-placed Wyong next game of the year against Parramat- Sunday. My mate Don sent me this link ta. about Sam Tomkins returning to Juniors Up To Third Wigan. Henry joins Sam Tomkins (knee), Sam Rapira (hamstring), Ken The Vodafone Junior Warriors are I thought it was very funny and Maumalo (hamstring), Konrad third on the ladder after smashing that you might enjoy the chance to Hurrell (knee), Glen Fisiiahi the Broncos 40-14 at Mt Smart. read it too. (shoulder) and David Fusitu’a (shoulder) on the injury list. It was their third straight victory, Subject: 6 reasons Sam Tomkins taking their total of points scored should stay at the Warriors and Rapira, Ken Maumalo (ham- to 122 in those three victories not go back to Wigan string), Fisiiahi and Fusitu’a are on while conceding only 48. target to return soon while Ngani Click here to view... Laumape made a successful come- After leading Brisbane only 16-10 back from a knee injury for the at halftime, the Vodafone Warri- Cruel blow for Ben Henry club’s NSW Cup side last week. ors dominated the second spell. Standoff Ata Hingano’s points har- Injury is always a possibility that vest continued, scoring a try and players have to live with. But poor kicking six goals for 16 points. Ben Henry has had more than his fair share of bad luck. Now the Vodafone Warriors back rower has suffered a season-end- ing injury for the second time in less than two years, rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his Ben Henry in agony. Photos courtesy of left knee on Sunday. www.photosport.co.nz The 23-year-old had been on the NSW Cup Side Into Second Semesi Tyrel on the burst. field only eight minutes when he injured the same knee he had sur- A 14-point rally catapulted the gery on after a training accident in Vodafone Warriors to an 18-16 2013. win over North Sydney at Mt Smart on Saturday. The win was Ben missed most of that year and the third in four starts, lifted the now has to face going through Vodafone Warriors into second, another knee reconstruction. two points behind the unbeaten Mounties. Henry also injured the knee in his NRL return against St George last The success came at a cost, March but initial fears of anoth- though, with George Carmont Bradley Abbey scores his second try! er ACL issue were allayed when forced off the field in the first scans indicated he had a cartilage half with a knee injury; it was the tear instead. He returned a few 36-year-old former Newcastle and weeks later, playing a total of 16 Wigan centre’s third match back. Thought for the Week games before having offseason surgery. In truth it was an ugly win, but I’ll Always remember, if you wake take it. up in the morning, there’s not He was in the line-up from the too much wrong in your life! opening round of the club’s 20th After their last two matches at anniversary season and made his home, the boys are on the road to Mad Butcher Club Newsletter Page 3 New Faces In Line-Up No Way Back For Bunny Ngani Laumape and Sebastine Ikahihifo are back South Sydney player Kirisome Auva’a has lost in a for the Storm game and their first NRL appearances bid to appeal his suspension from the NRL. Auva’a of the season, while Vodafone Warriors back rower sought leave to appeal the suspension imposed by Ryan Hoffman celebrates his 250th on Monday (7pm the NRL after he pleaded guilty to recklessly causing NZT). injury in a domestic issue. Laumape comes into the centres and Ikahihifo has The suspension imposed was for a minimum of been called in to replace Ben Henry on the bench. nine months and the NRL ruled any application to return to the game would not be considered until Hoffman will have special cause to relish his return he demonstrated behavioural change designed to having played 245 times for Melbourne. prevent the recurrence of violent behaviour toward women. He has scored three tries in his first four games but both teams go into the Easter Monday on the back of Auva’a sought leave to appeal but the NRL Appeals losses. Committee found there were no grounds. The Storm are seventh and the Vodafone Warriors Bring on the Storm ninth. The Vodafone Warriors travel to Melbourne to take The last time we went to AAMI Park we won 16-10 on the Storm this week. to give Andrew McFadden his first win as coach. After what was, by their standards, a very disappoint- While Hoffman provides the milestone focus for this ing showing against the Broncos, they owe their fans match, veteran wing Manu Vatuvei chalks up his one, so expect a much better showing this weekend. 199th appearance leaving him set for 200 at home against the Wests Tigers on April 11.