17 OCT 2014 #46 This Saturday at Mt Smart our aim is to beat the Aussies And to show Mt Smart is the home of rugby league NOT NORTH HARBOUR LET’S FILL MT SMART TO SHOW THE COUNCIL WHERE WE WANT TO STAY 7pm kick off Junior Kiwis v Junior Kangaroos 5pm PIRTEK NZRL NATIONAL PREMIERSHIP FINAL Akarana Falcons v Counties Manuaku Stingrays Entrance Make a big banner and share in $ 5 adults, lots of prizes. Winning banner children 12 years gets four 2015 season tickets and under to the Vodafone Warriors. FREE SPREAD THE WORD AND LET’S FILL MT SMART! If ever there was a great chance for rugby league fans to show Auckland City we love Mt Smart it comes this Saturday when the Junior Kiwis play Australia at 7pm. You can talk the talk but at some stage you have to walk the walk, and that stage is Saturday. And it will only cost league fans: $5 – with Under 12s free As you know there are all sorts of plans to move the Vodafone Warriors, and they all come down to dollars. You can take fl ower boxes for a few million in Queen St, and you can take millions for offi ces for people who can’t process a building application without dynamite strapped to their backsides, and you can take millions of dollars for any other hare-brained scheme the council comes up with. But few chances to show the council how much us poor league fans love Mt Smart come up. There has been talk of a march down Queen St but they are a dime a dozen, and this Saturday gives us the chance to do something totally different. We can get a good crowd out for the Junior Kiwis as well as show the council our support for Mt Smart. It is a two-pronged attack, and let’s face it, you don’t normally get a great crowd for the Juniors, so if we can get good numbers we will really make a statement. I was on my sickbed at Waiheke when I rang Vodafone Warriors chairman Bill Wavish and he thought it was a bloody good idea. Within fi ve minutes I had an email from him that he had sent to Wayne Scurrah our outgoing CEO, outlining an action plan. I have to say, Bill s a superb chairman, and you can not ask for more. So I’m calling on as many of you as possible to get along on Saturday night. I always reckon if we are playing Aussie at anything, it is time for real fans to turn out, and remember: $5 – with Under 12s free At that price we can all afford to contribute to making the atmosphere at Mt Smart electric. Imagine what it would be like rattling around at Eden Park or dragging yourself to Albany. And there is also the chance to see the fi nal of the Pirtek NZRL National Premiership at 5pm. Make the best banner on night and you can win four season passes to the Vodafone Warriors next season, and if that is not enough to inspire you to get along and have a go, then I don’t know what is. There are some awesome players lining up for Australia, with Joe Ofahengaue from the Broncos in the team. You might recognise the name because he is the nephew of 1991 Wallaby World Cup winner Willie, who lived in Auckland and was arguably the most The damaging ball runner in Wallaby history. (See item in this Newsletter)There are plenty of chances to see the Junior Kiwis this week, with a full opposed training at Mt Smart on Wednesday at 6.30pm, and a captain’s Junior run at Mt Smart at 10.30am on Friday. Come on league fans, get along to Mt Kiwi Smart and support the Junior Kiwis against Australia, and much more importantly, support league against Auckland City and Team the dumb-ass plan to ship us out to Albany. Some of the Junior Kiwis relaxing and having a bit of fun, earlier this week. Sheens names his troops Tonga line up PNG thuggery. Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens has named his side Tonga plays Papua-New Guinea in a fully-sanctioned test Lance has not escaped scot-free either, getting a one- for the Four Nations. “We have a really good blend at Lae on Sunday. Tonga has announced its 17-man team week for a forearm in the lead-up. of experience and youth. The positive for me is the and points for World Cup rankings are on offer. We do not need thuggery in our game – you don't need it experience that even the debutants have. We have a Tonga: in any game for that matter, so the longest ban in Super high proportion of State of Origin representatives and Sitaleki-Moala Akau'ola (Tigers), League history seems the right punishment to me. premiership winners." Viliami Fine (Tigers), Kangaroos: Sione Folau (Eels), Boxing beckons Greg Bird (Titans), Daniel Foster (Panthers), I will be at ringside on Thursday night when Explosive Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly), David Hala (Broncos), Joseph Parker takes on Sherman Williams. I see Boyd Cordner (Roosters), Solomone Kata (Warriors), good press about Joseph burying the hatchet with Sonny Cooper Cronk (Storm), Samisoni Langi (Roosters), Bill Williams. There had been some too-ing and fro-ing Robbie Farah (Tigers), Haveatama Luani (Tigers), between the pair over Sony-Bill’s belt and unwillingness Aidan Guerra (Roosters), Viliami Manu (Panthers), to fi ght Joseph, but regardless of that, I am really looking Jarryd Hayne (Eels), Benjieman Murdoch (Panthers), forward to seeing a young man with a big future. Ryan Hoffman (Storm), Agnatius Paasi (Warriors), Ben Hunt (Broncos), Wellentony Satini (Manly), Big week looms Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs), Ukuma Taai (Huddersfi eld), Don’t look for me next week because I will be fl ying to Josh Jackson (Bulldogs), Siosiua Taukeiaho (Roosters), Australia to take in the double-header opener of the Four Michael Jennings (Roosters), Peni Terepo (Eels), Nations tournament. Alex Johnston (Rabbitohs), Vai Toutai (Eels), Samoa plays England, but the one that matters most David Klemmer (Bulldogs), Bill Tupou (Raiders). to me is of course my beloved Kiwis v the old enemy Josh Mansour (Panthers), Australia. Sione Mata’utia (Knights), Lance doing well Josh Papalii (Raiders), You will all have seen the terrible punches Lance Hohaia So go the Kiwis, and go the Junior Kiwis on Corey Parker (Broncos), copped in the Super League fi nal while playing for St Saturday, and most of all, go the great game Beau Scott (Knights), Helens against Wigan. of league and all those of you who take up Cameron Smith (Storm), I texted him soon after he got back that he was fi ne, and my call to arms! Sam Thaiday (Broncos), I have since spoken to him too. Lance says he is fi ne and Daniel Tupou (Roosters), has no bitterness about it. He refused to lay any kind of Dylan Walker (Rabbitohs), charges when contacted by police, but Ben Flowers, Aaron Woods (Tigers). the Wigan prop, has copped a six month ban for his JOHN DEAKER, SON OF LEGENDARY BROADCASTER, MURRAY DEAKER, SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE JUNIOR LIWIS. The Junior Kiwis remain as valuable to NZ Junior Kiwis: Josh Ailoai (Parramatta Eels), the NZRL as ever. Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm), Manaia Cherrington (Wests Tigers), As rugby league fans debate Senior level is much closer by players from 10 NRL clubs. quickly will be the key Zach Docker-Clay (Parramatta Eels), how much rides on this year’s than it was in the past. Considering that players challenge for coach Brent Four Nations tournament There’s no better example eligible for both countries Gemmell and his assistant Addin Fonua-Blake (St George Illawarra Dragons), when both the Kiwis and this year of how the gap from have been targeted (Jason Kelvin Wright with players Watson Heleta (Wests Tigers), Kangaroos squads are so Junior to Senior national Taumalolo being a prime coming together from so Sione Katoa (Penrith Panthers), under-strength, there can level has closed than Dallin example ) in recent years many different clubs. Danny Levi (Newcastle Knights), be no mistake how fi red up Watene-Zelezniak selection by Australia’s National and The Junior Kiwis have no Lamar Liolevave (Wests Tigers), the Junior Kiwis will be for a in this year’s Senior squad for State of Origin selectors it’s shortage of talent this year victory against their Australian the Four Nations after scoring very encouraging to see this – boasting 7 players from Sam Lisone (Vodafone Warriors), counterparts this Saturday 2 tries for the Junior Kiwis representation across such a the NYC’s merit team that Sam Manulelua (South Sydney Rabbitohs), night at Mt Smart Stadium. in their heart-breaking loss wide variety of clubs. Wests was named last month. In Te Maire Martin (Wests Tigers), Only 3 players remain last year. If you go back a bit Tigers have the strongest comparison, the Kangaroos Taane Milne (Sydney Roosters), from the 38-26 loss to the further this year’s squad has 4 representation with four squad features just fi ve Kodi Nikorima (Brisbane Broncos), Australians in 2013 – but that players from the class of 2012 players in the team – though players from that all-star will be more than enough to in the 2014 Kiwis squad – and injuries have contributed to selection. Chance Peni (Newcastle Knights), get across to the debutantes of course Roger Tuivasa- the Championship winning As usual the Haka will be Joseph Tapine (Newcastle Knights), how much that loss hurt the Sheck could have made it 5 if New Zealand Warriors side something unique that the Adam Tuimavave-Gerard (Vodafone Warriors), team after they’d led 26-10 he hadn’t been suffering from only getting Sam Lisone and team can bond over and Braden Uele (Sydney Roosters) at halftime.