Bowls: Development players key for Fairfield

Fairfield bowlers (from left) Ken Walker, Alex Denniston, Dave Marsh, Tony Millar, Blair...
Fairfield bowlers (from left) Ken Walker, Alex Denniston, Dave Marsh, Tony Millar, Blair Barringer and Stuart Aiken celebrate the club's interclub success this past season. Photo by Jane Dawber.
Fairfield emerged as the top local club this summer when it won three major Bowls Dunedin men's interclub trophies.

It won the Holmes Feathers for the premier "four fours" competition, the George Payton Memorial Trophy for all men's competitions and the Wednesday competition.

The most significant was the Holmes Feathers for interclub fours, first held in 1913.

Fairfield won it that year but has won it only twice since - in 2005 and this year.

Elite player and Holmes Feathers selector Blair Barringer said Fairfield owed its win to the way the development players had come through and performed in the competition.

"Players like Ross Thomson, John Latimer, Bill Paape and Kris Newall came through and performed at a consistently high standard," he said.

Four teams compete each week from clubs in the Holmes Feathers competition, but it is more difficult for club selectors in the Wednesday competition because nine teams compete from each club.

Fairfield has been the dominant club in this event and has won the competition for eight of the past 16 years.

Thirty-six players are required each week and this always puts a strain on club resources.

Fairfield had a 68% success. It won 116 games and lost 55.

Dave Marsh was in his first year as selector for this competition and he asked club members each week what their needs were.

"I'm a firm believer that you leave winning teams alone and don't change teams just for the sake of change," he said.

It is the sixth time Fairfield has won the George Payton Memorial Trophy for the best overall club.

Fairfield's first win was in 1991 and it also won the trophy three years in a row from 2000 and also in 2007 and this year.

Fairfield has won the national interclub title twice in 1998 and 2002.

In 2002 it was named the Otago sports team of the year at the Sport Otago awards dinner at the Dunedin town hall.

Fairfield also makes an important contribution to administration in the centre, with club member Robbie Thomson the president of Bowls Dunedin.

Add a Comment