Rugby: Kaik’s victory most deserved

So it is all wrapped up and, as predicted, Kaik had the stronger all-round team and deservedly won its first banner since 1997.

The first half was tight and tense and just a wee bit boring but Jayden (the dogroll) Spence set up a crucial try right on halftime to give Kaik the break it needed.

He was the crucial figure in the game for Kaik and set up all its tries.

I doubt he has played a better game in his 49 for Otago.

Dunedin played its part as its forward pack battled heroically but played too much of the game between the 10m lines and there were only seven or eight scrums in the game which didn't suit its powerful pack.

Openside Hame Toma (the bruise) was the game's other outstanding figure and he didn't deserve to be on a losing side.

He has been the outstanding loosie in this year's comp and I'm amazed Cory Brown is not looking at him for the Otago team as he hasn't been bested this year.

The aftermath

So Kaik has won its second banner in 95 years and it was memorable in itself in the pleasure the whole club derived from it.

I won't forget "Big Crawfie'' (its Prem II coach) walking across the ground, tears streaming down his face.

The look of rapture on the faces of the hundreds of supporters in the North Stand at the final whistle.

The look of relief and satisfaction on the faces of the players as they marched over to their fans.

The realisation they had finally done it for the club after years of trying. Walking into the clubrooms with the Dunedin team and seeing a sea, no an ocean, of excited faces basking in the afterglow of victory.

It was a stark reminder to this writer as to what it means to finally win one of these.

They don't hand them out cheaply! Well done to Kaik, a victory most deserved.

A couple of afterthoughts.

Is Kaik up on the Veldt the new sporting powerhouse as, I'm pretty sure, Kaik is the top cricket team in town as well?

A bit of advice to the Kaik boys about celebrations - stay away from those cellphones when you are nude, it comes back to haunt you!

Now the report card

Alhambra Union (the Broncos or the Ponies or the Onion)

The Prems had a terrible year - we can't go past that.

The Prem II side - well the less said the better!

The club has a mid-table open-grade side but the stars of the show are the two colts sides.

Their Prem Colts should be in the final next weekend and the Junior Colts win it all in three weeks.

So on the back of that I'm giving the club a B-.

Dunedin (The Sharks or occasionally the Guppy Fish)

The Prems overachieved this year in making the final.

Looks like their Prem IIs will just miss the four on points differential.

The open grade side, well the less said!

The Prem Colts are in the semis this weekend and are an outside (40-1) chance to make the finals.

The club has two Junior Colts sides which think that rugby is about the pre-match and after-match.

An average year by its standards, a B.

Green Island (The Grizzlies or the Spannerheads)

The Prems overachieved this year and won six games and finished seventh - but nobody knows how that works now.

The Prem IIs were close to the bottom.

The combined side with Harbour is in the final against Strath this weekend but I hear all the team could be GI boys next year - you heard it here first.

The Junior Colts side looks like mid-table. So for a club on the rebound a very good year, so a B.

Harbour (The Hawks)

The Prems made the finals but again had the talent to go all the way but just didn't.

The side can blame the ref, the touchies, the metro committee but really lads, look inwards.

The Prem IIs are mid-table and the combined side with GI is in the final this weekend - but for how much longer?

The club is really struggling for numbers and is on the cusp.

It scores only a C-.

Kaik (The Demons, apparently)

The Prems won it all. The Prem IIs are in the semifinals in two weeks (slight chance they don't make it but 100-1 against).

The Prem Colts are bottom half of table and the Junior Colts are mid-table.

The club has come a long way in two years and doing a lot of things right.

Some have described Kaik as the "people's club'' but that is a stretch!

But off the field the club is vibrant so it is a star turn this year and scores an A.

Pirates

The Prems have had an ugly year and finished stone motherless.

They put the exclamation point on it by getting thrashed by Zingers last weekend.

The Prem IIs are down at the bottom along with the Prem Colts.

I think their Junior Colts have disappeared completely.

There is some depth here but they have a lot of work-ons.

However, I think there is a resolve to turn it around.

Score a C but that is generous.

Southern (The Magpies - or Budgerigars on a bad day)

A funny old year - promised a lot but delivered mail one day a week if lucky.

The Prem side was struck by injury and finished fifth.

The Prem II side won't make the four and ditto for Prem Colts side.

The Ravens will make the four in Junior Colts but the club's other colts side is bottom of the heap.

Good depth but disappointing result for a consistent achiever, a C+.

Taieri (The Eels)

The Prems had the year from hell injury-wise.

They sacked their coach mid-season (unprecedented!) and then defaulted the last game of the year.

This was coyote ugly! It is a long way back from here.

The bright spot is the Prem IIs and Prem Colts are in the semis so there is depth.

The Senior and Junior Colts are bottom of the table.

The committee needs to have a long hard look at itself as it has had a bad year and I think has let the players and supporters down.

Score a C and that's just being polite!

Varsity

Let's start off by saying it will win the Ainge Trophy as the best all-round club and that is significant.

Their Prems should have won it all but adopted Greg Norman as their mascot.

The Prem IIs and Prem Colts could go all the way and their Junior Colts should make the final.

So all in all a pretty good year for the Varsity lads so they score an A-.

Zingari

The club has had a tough year and it's not getting any easier but it is a proud club and will survive.

The Prems finished second-last. The Prem IIs are bottom of the heap and Junior Colts are mid-table at best.

Depth is still questionable and held discussions with Harbour over some sort of amalgamation but that collapsed.

A long way back lads so a C because there is hope.

The Form XV

After much deliberation here is my form XV for the year.

Cory make sure you digest this!

15 Tony Ensor (K), 14 Gavin Stark (V), 13 Shae Tucker (V), 12 Jayden Spence (K), 11 Mitchell Scott (T), 10 Fletcher Smith (V), 9 Josh Walden (S), 8 Adam Knight (S), 7 Hame Toma (D), 6 Dillon Hunt (V), 5 Mark Grieve-Dunn (D), 4 Josh Dixon (V), 3 Ross Geldenhuys (GI), 2 Ricky Hollamby (GI), 1 Donald Brighouse (D).

Cory, I know a lot of these guys are in your side and rightly so but think liberally!

Speaking of Otago

I think Cory Brown is going to name his Otago squad next week so I thought I'd have a crack and see how close I can get.

So here goes: Liam Coltman, Sam Anderson-Heather, Craig Millar, Hisa Sisaga, Aki Seiuli, Donald Brighouse, Blair Tweed, Tom Franklin, Josh Dickson, Adam Knight, Paul Grant, Dillon Hunt, Naulia Dawai, James Lentjes, Kaide Whiting, Jonathan Ruru, Fletcher Smith, Scott Eade, Tei Walden, Michael Collins, Matt Faddes, Sio Tomkinson, Fa'asiu Fuitai, Tony Ensor, Gavin Stark, Jack Wilson, Ben Smith.

Now that's 27 and they should all be picked. But Ben Smith won't play so only 26.

The word is they will take 30.

They may take a third halfback as Whiting has been injured for much of the year so throw in Josh Walden.

They will probably take another outside back so throw in Leroy Van Dam or Mitchell Scott.

If they take another loosie throw in Lee Allan or Hame Toma.

If they take another prop throw in Jonah Aoina. That won't be far away.

Some bits to wrap it up

The club player of the year function is fittingly at Kaik on August 15 - don't miss it.

The ODT/Speights picking comp winner is Spannerhead Blair Bezett so he and his mate will enjoy some Speight's hospo from Snowy - well done, mate.

I understand "Welcome Back Kotter'' Jim Thompson is now doing some "re-training'' as a ref after this was suggested by Lance Spence from Harbour - the mind boggles!

Speaking of referees, there was an incident at the game between Zingers and the Ponies a couple of weeks ago that is worth recounting.

A Ponies stalwart was not happy with the ref's performance that day up at the Cemetery and proceeded to berate him but wisely did it from behind the Zingari supporters.

The ref remonstrated with the Zingari lads after the game but they informed him they were innocent of all charges.

When the ref made his speech after the match he made mention of the advice he had received and our stalwart miscreant immediately yelled out that he should have listened! It deteriorated from there as the ref lost it somewhat and a "tete a tete'' ensued much to the embarrassment of most there.

The Ponies stalwart shall remain nameless but he could well be on airport security at Momona! Have a great summer, talk soon.

Oh just remembered, well done Maheno for making me look good!

- Paul Dwyer 

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