Timaru Warriors president James Blisset (left) and team
captain Amosa Anglem enjoy some time out at the No. 8 Wired
bar in Timaru. Photo by Jinny Reynolds.
Now the league season has come to a close, the Timaru
Warriors have found a new lease on life after surpassing their
original goal and making it into the semi-finals of the
Canterbury Rugby League senior reserve championships.
Unlike the well-known NRL with its league clubs, function
rooms, fields and stands, the Timaru Warriors started their
season at the opposite end of the scale.
Their team was mostly made up of rugby union players, with
only six having played league before.
Their unmarked field came complete with wonky goal posts and
long grass to sit on, their function rooms-cum-changing
facilities were a tight fit for the after-match functions and
their uniforms were two years old.
But none of these things fazed the 20 players who signed up
to be Warriors, because it was about doing something
different and recreating what was once a successful league
team, Warriors president James Blisset said.
Mr Blisset said his love for the game gave him the confidence
to ignore the lack of luxuries and produce a team Timaru
could be proud of.
"The team's goal this season was to be competitive. We needed
to get the guys playing the game and enjoying it. They far
exceeded that goal and made it to the semi-finals," he said.
Former Timaru Warrior Sonny Hammond helped the club to find
sponsorship and by the first pre-match game the club was able
to invite its opposition to their new after-match function
rooms - otherwise known as the No. 8 Wired bar.
"The No. 8 Wired bar started around the same time as we did,
so it helped us both out," Mr Blisset said.
Timaru Warriors captain Amosa Anglem said he was nagged by
his friends to play for the team and when he gave in, he
never looked back.
He said his confidence grew and, like his friends, he was
determined to play league in the rugby-filled town.
"The guys in the team are loyal to the game. They play for
themselves, their wives, their families and for Timaru,"
Anglem said.
Jinny Reynolds is a journalism student at Aoraki Polytechnic.
- Jinny Reynolds
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