Player Maia Sands

[mt.wellington]

Maia Sands

2014 - Keebra Park High School
2015 - Burleigh Bears U20
2016 - Rabbitohs U20
2017 - Tweed QLD Cup
2018 - Ruakura Ki Runga Maori
2019 - Ormeau Shearers A grade
2023 - Warriors NSW Cup
2024 - Warriors NSW Cup

 

[mt.wellington]

Manawatu's rugby league exports trying to make it to the top in Australia​

George Heagney
July 20, 2016, • 05:11pm

Foxton's Russell Packer is in his second coming in the NRL with the St George Illawarra Dragons.
CHRIS SYMES / PHOTOSPORT

Many Manawatu rugby league players have been crossing the Tasman to try and crack the professional rugby league dream in recent years. Sports reporter George Heagney tallies up all the players, young and old, plying their trade in Australia.

Electric fullback Kalyn Ponga is one of the up-and-coming stars in the NRL and a Manawatu expat.

The former Palmerston North boy and national under-13 golf champion has become some of the hottest property in Queensland since he and his family relocated in 2011.

Palmerston North's Jackson Ferris, here playing for the New Zealand under-18s, has impressed with the Cronulla Sharks under-18s this season.
SUPPLIED / MANAWATU-STANDARD

A former Monrad Intermediate School student, he made his name with his hot stepping for Brisbane's Anglican Church Grammar School 1st XV on Youtube, but the fullback is now tipped to become an NRL regular at the North Queensland Cowboys.

Slippery former Palmerston North Boys' High School outside back Jackson Ferris has transferred his skills to the Cronulla Sharks' under-18 team.

Ferris, who terrorised opposition first XVs with long-range tries, was in try-scoring form for the Sharks SG Ball under-18 team this year, before they were knocked out of the playoffs.

Piki Te Ora Rogers moved from Auckland to Palmerston North in 2012 to attend Tu Toa, then left for Sydney once he finished school.

The centre or five-eighth, and now a second rower, first went to the Roosters, but is now playing in reserve grade, the Super Premiership NSW, for the North Sydney Bears.

Playmaker Kodi Nikorima, 22, is another Palmerston North-born player.

Nikorima spent his early years in Palmerston North and moved to Christchurch before the family headed to Brisbane to give the 11-year-old a chance to start his professional career.

He is now in the Brisbane Broncos first-grade team and played for the Kiwis in the Anzac test this year.

The younger Nikorima brother, Jayden, has followed a similar path to his brother.

But the 19-year-old halfback is now with the Sydney Roosters, but differed from his brother when he played for the Junior Kangaroos this year.

Former Manawatu College student Russell Packer has re-started his career in Sydney after a stint in prison for assault.

Packer, who played for the Warriors between 2008 and 2013, had two years out of the NRL while serving a jail sentence then a year's stand down, before being signed by the St George Illawarra Dragons, where the big prop is getting back to his best.

Maia Sands was a Kia Ora Warriors junior before shifting to Australia at 16, where he went to Keebra Park Sports High School and is now with the Rabbitohs under-20 side.

The 19-year-old has been in impressive form this year, being named their under-20s player of the season and brings unpredictability to the hooking role.

He went to Boys' High and is the nephew of Kia Ora's Butch Jarvis.

James Tamou is one of the top props in the NRL and now playing for Australia and New South Wales, but he is another Palmerston North-born player in the top ranks.

Tamou was formerly known as Jamie Gardiner and the Tamou surname came from his stepfather. He is the son of former Marist rugby player Murray Gardiner.

Tamou played rugby in Palmerston North before moving to Levin, then on to Australia.

Tevita Fehoko was in the Boys' High first XV last year, but the prop is now with the Canberra Raiders' under-18 team.
A former Kia Ora junior, he recently had knee surgery and is out of action.

Fabien Kiri, a barnstorming No 8 for the Boys' High first XV last year, signed with the Warriors while still at school.
But the back rower requested to go the Canberra Raiders this season because he wanted something else.

Levin's Kenny Edwards played his junior football for the Levin Knights and Pukekohe Pythons, before being signed by the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

A cousin of Tamou, Edwards is now with the Parramatta Eels.

Taumutu Afemui-Nohotima went to Manukura and played his junior league for Tainui.

He is now in the Canberra system, playing for one of their feeder clubs and part of the Raiders' under-20 programme.

Kelani Pehwairangi-Charlie was at Manukura, but the second rower is now with the South Sydney Rabbitohs under-18s team.

Joey Lose is another to have played his junior footy for Kia Ora.

His family are from Levin and he went to Hato Poara College, and now the second rower is also with the Rabbitohs under-18s.

❑ There are a couple of other youngsters who are on the fringes, and Palmerston North's Jahlon Katene-Govnernor was trialling for the Cronulla Sharks this week.

He has been playing for his school Keebra Park and club side the Nerang Roosters on the Gold Coast.

Conrad Edwards from Dannevirke has played for Manawatu Mustangs age-group teams, and is now playing on the Gold Coast, where he goes to Coombabah High School.

Hitaua Butler of Palmerston North is playing at south Sydney club Mascot.

❑ Others worth mentioning are NRL veteran and former Waiopehu College student Jack Afamasaga, as well as Dannevirke expats Weller Hauraki and Rangi Chase, who have been playing in the Super League in England for years.

Afamasaga debuted for the Eels in 2004, and played for the Manly Sea Eagles, coming off the bench for them in the losing grand final against the Melbourne Storm in 2007. He played for the Sharks and Storm, but is now playing in Western New South Wales for the Western Rams.

Chase played in the NRL for Wests Tigers and the Dragons before heading to England, where he has played for the Castleford Tigers, Salford Red Devils and Leigh Centurions, before returning to Castleford.

The 2011 Super League Man of Steel and a former New Zealand Maori representative, Chase has eight caps for England.
Hauraki debuted for Parramatta in 2007 and had three seasons before heading north.

Since going to the Super League he has played for the Celtic Crusaders, Leeds Rhinos, Castleford and now Salford.

Palmerston North's Api Pewhairangi played for Parramatta and the Warriors before switching codes to play rugby for Connacht in Ireland, then he came back to league and is now playing for the London Broncos.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[mt.wellington]

The 2017 NYC Best and Fairest Award has been won by Rabbitohs Under 20s hooker, Maia Sands.

The award is the second of the night for Sands, who earlier picked up the NYC Players’ Player Award.

Sands made 119 runs in the 2016 season, covering 1073 metres. The explosive hooker, received the ball 1695 times, the sixth highest across the competition and proved to be a threat on the opposition’s line, scoring all of his six tries from dummy half. He also made the third highest amount of tackles with an impressive 903 successful attempts.

Sands was presented with the NYC Best and Fairest Award by Rabbitohs Welfare and Education Manager, Rob Capizzi.

Congratulations Maia on receiving the two NYC awards.

Previous Winners:
2008 – Trent Trotter
2009 – Jason Clark
2010 – Matt Mundine
2011 – Kyle Turner
2012 – Luke Keary
2013 – Cameron McInnes
2014 – Cheyne Whitelaw
2015 – Clayton Williams

South Sydney Rabbitohs – Article

The 2017 NYC Best and Fairest Award has been won by Rabbitohs Under 20s hooker, Maia Sands.

www.rabbitohs.com.au

 

[mt.wellington]

Accident happened in 2019...

Help a young dad in need., organized by Ryan Horsley

Maia Sands, 23 years old fractured his neck playing for the Ormeau Shearers A grade. Unfortunat… Ryan Horsley needs your support for Help a young dad in need.

www.gofundme.com

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Wow that's a hard one for this young bloke. Any updates on his current state of health and wellness?

 

[Noitall]

Wow that's a hard one for this young bloke. Any updates on his current state of health and wellness?

Plays for the nsw cup team. Really like the look of him, reminds me a bit of a Nikora type second rower that’s smaller but fearless

 

[mt.wellington]

Wow that's a hard one for this young bloke. Any updates on his current state of health and wellness?

Accident was in 2019 but he has played for us in the NSW Cup since 2023. Couldn't confirm but think he was playing Northcote Tigers before then. Seems to have fully recovered so great news...