The Panthers have lost their opening four games of the club rugby league premiership. On Saturday they were ‘mercy ruled’ against Eastern Eagles, the game called off in the 58th minute when Eastern’s lead reached 60-0.
Their only competition points are the two they were awarded in their bye round.
Hornby have blooded 12 debutants already this season and are operating with a thin squad of predominantly younger players. Three weeks ago, their premier reserve side was forced to default against Greymouth due to injuries.
Endacott said every club goes through a cycle of player shortages – and that Hornby simply needs to back their troops in the years to come.
“It’s unusual to see Hornby near the bottom of the ladder, it’s just not been seen over the last few decades. But I’ll make it pretty clear – every club goes through this cycle, and they just happen to be going through it now,” he said.
“They’ve got a quality coach, Archie Jacobs, and from what I hear he’s got a whole lot of young players who, if the board sticks with them, and hopefully they do, they’ll get results a couple of years down the track.”
Endacott coached the Panthers to three straight grand finals in the 1980s and won the title in 1986. He also won the premiership with Addington in 1982, led Canterbury to the 1993 first division title and coached the Kiwis at the 1995 and 2000 world cups.
He coached Wigan Warriors from 1999-2001, winning the minor premiership in 2000 before losing in the grand final.
“When I took Canterbury over, I said to the board, ‘this is a real young team we’ve got, they’re talented, but they’re very young’.
“We were playing against Kiwis every week in the national competition, and I said ‘this could take up to four or five years’. The first year we suffered like Hornby are now, and then the second year they came good, fourth year they were national champions.
“The Canterbury board had the faith in me to go through that process, and I hope Hornby have the same faith in Archie Jacobs.”
Hornby have won a record 17 Pat Smith Trophies, and boast former Kiwis like Mel Cooke, Brian Langton, David Kidwell, Adrian Shelford, Wayne Wallace and Ross Taylor, as well as current Brisbane Bronco Jordan Riki who played for the club at junior level.
In 1987, an all-Hornby front row of Taylor, Wallace and Shelford helped the Kiwis to a famous 13-6 win over the Kangaroos in Brisbane. Taylor scored a try as the Kiwis held on for victory against an Australian team that included greats like Wally Lewis, Wayne Pearce, Peter Sterling and Brett Kenny.
Lawrie said it was tough to watch his beloved club in the position they are in now.
“It’s hard watching at the moment because I still love the jersey, it means the world to me, and when the boys are struggling, it’s hard watching that.”
Lawrie said Hornby’s team had been “cannibalised” by other clubs.
“There are players that haven’t stuck around when I thought they might have, and (Hornby) haven’t replaced the players that have left.
“They’ve probably had 10 players transfer out this year, so that’s a problem.”
President Brent Tomlinson said he believed the side were victims of their own success in recent years.
“Our young and upcoming players are being selected for NRL and feeder NRL sides at an earlier age and not getting the opportunity to play senior football in Canterbury.
“Our current group are very young, captain Jaedon Wellington and a few other young ones are having a dig. (It’s) just the ebb and flow of sports, we have been very fortunate to have a stable player group for many years and a lot of success.”
Hornby’s task does not get any easier this weekend, visiting unbeaten Linwood Keas on Saturday who top the table after five rounds.
The following week’s clash with Papanui Tigers, whose only win of the season came over the Panthers in round one, looms as a change to get points on the board.
Saturday’s other games see Riccarton Knights host Halswell Hornets while Papanui host Greymouth.
Halswell and Linwood beat Papanui and Greymouth respectively at the weekend in addition to Eastern’s rout of Hornby.
All games on Saturday kick off at 2.45pm.
Endacott backed Hornby to get through the tough period.
“No one likes to lose, but if you show patience, you’ll get out of it.
“All they need to do is just take a few of these losses on the chin, they’ll be copping a bit of flack from your mates down the road at Halswell.
“But, you know, everyone goes through a cycle, and they’ll come out of it if they think sensibly."
Metro premier round 7 (2.45pm Sat)
Canterbury Uni v Christchurch, Ilam Fields
Burnside v Lincoln Uni, Burnside Park
Shirley v HSOB, Burwood Park
Sumner v Belfast, St Leonard’s Square
Linwood v Sydenham, Tane Norton Park
Marist Albion v New Brighton, Edgar MacIntosh Park
Round 6
Marist Albion 52 Belfast 19
New Brighton 76 Shirley 12
Canterbury Uni 37 Sumner 35
HSOB 29 Sydenham 21
Lincoln Uni 36 Linwood 17
Burnside 34 Christchurch 29
Points
Canterbury Uni 27; Lincoln Uni 25; Marist Albion 24; Linwood 23; New Brighton 22; Burnside 18; HSOB 15; Sydenham 14; Christchurch 13; Belfast 11; Sumner 8; Shirley 0
Southern League round 9
Northern v Selwyn Utd, Caledonian Ground, noon Sat
Dunedin CR v Cashmere Tech, Tahuna Park, 12.45pm Sat
Wānaka v Nomads, Wānaka Rec Centre, 2pm Sat
Christchurch Utd v Coastal Spirit, United Centre, 5pm Sat
Nelson Suburbs v Ferrymead Bays, Saxton Fields, noon Sun
Round 8
Nelson 3 Christchurch Utd 1
Dunedin 1 Northern 0
Nomads 1 Ferrymead Bays 1
Selwyn Utd 2 Wānaka 1
Cash Tech 5 Coastal 1
Points
Cash Tech 24; F’mead 19; Nomads 13; Coastal 10; Northern 10; Nelson 9; Chch Utd 8; Dunedin 7; Selwyn 7; Wānaka 6
Schoolboy rugby round 4 (Sat)
Nelson College v Christchurch BHS, Nelson, 11am
St Thomas v Marlborough BC, STC, 11am
King’s HS v Christ’s College, King’s, noon
Otago BHS v Shirley BHS, Littlebourne, 12.45pm
Round 3
Southland BHS 38 Shirley BHS 27
St Thomas 50 King’s HS 24
Christchurch BHS 42 Otago BHS 21
Marlborough BC 52 Christ’s College 29
St Bede’s 37 St Andrew’s 7
South Island points
CBHS 15; Southland 12; Timaru 10; St Bede’s 9; Shirley 7; Marlborough 7; St Thomas 7; Nelson 5; Otago 5; King’s 5; Christ’s 3
Miles Toyota Premiership points
St Bede’s 14; St Andrew’s 7; Marlborough 6; CBHS 5; Timaru 5; Shirley 5; Nelson 5; St Thomas 2; Christ’s 1
Premier 1 netball round 6
(Netball Sports Centre, Mon)
Kereru B v Saints, 6.30pm
Technical v Lincoln Uni B, 6.30pm
Belfast v St Nicholas, 8.05pm
Kereru A v Lincoln Uni A, 8.05pm
Round 5
Lincoln Uni A 58 Technical 39
Lincoln Uni B 83 Belfast 13
Kereru A 52 Kereru B 46
Saints 54 St Nicholas 41
Points
Lincoln University A 20; Kereru A 17; Technical 16; Saints 13; Kereru B 8; Lincoln Uni B 6; St Nicholas 4;
Belfast 0
