General Regional League Comps Discussion

[Completion Rate]

With the footy season well and truly underway I thought it'd be good to have a space where we can chat about your local comp. With diehards from across the great nation it'd be great to have one place to find out how teams are going in competitions across the motu, not just Auckland. I've always got my eye on the Waikato comp, but I'd love to hear the lay of the land from Greymouth, Christchurch, Wellington, Tokoroa, or wherever you may be.
What local team do you support? Who are your clubs favorite sons? Who's your local legend? When were your playing days? What club is getting smoked every weekend? What club is most dominant in your scene? Who are the juniors to watch? What are the rivalries?

 

[Ref]

Bay Of Plenty kick off their comp this Saturday with all games being played at the one venue in Rotorua in a carnival like atmosphere with heaps of stalls etc.
There are 7 premier sides and nine in reserve grade.
The premier comp was strong last year with five competitive sides and this year all seven are decent.

BOP are now in the National Premiership Grade post club season and a programme has been set up for day camps through the season for prospective rep players.
There are some real quality players in this comp so Bay can put out a decent rep side this year.

Forestland from Tokoroa are the defending champions.
The other premier clubs are Pacific from Tokoroa, Mangakino, Taupo Phoenix, Pikiao from Rotorua, Arataki Bears from Mt Maunganui and Te Paamu from the outskirts of Te Puke.

Russell Packer is helping coach Te Paamu but says he isn’t playing but Ben Matulino is registered to play.
Te Paamu have been in the league wilderness for about 15 years and returned and won the reserve grade last year.

Mangakino are overdue for a title. They are always close and have lost three GFs in recent years.
They have a few commited stalwarts who deserve a title.

Arataki are in their second season as a league club and have lots of ex union players mixed with some quality league players.

It’s going to be a fantastic comp.

Like any region though, it seems there are only just enough referees to get by.

 

[dean]

Bay Of Plenty kick off their comp this Saturday with all games being played at the one venue in Rotorua in a carnival like atmosphere with heaps of stalls etc.
There are 7 premier sides and nine in reserve grade.
The premier comp was strong last year with five competitive sides and this year all seven are decent.

BOP are now in the National Premiership Grade post club season and a programme has been set up for day camps through the season for prospective rep players.
There are some real quality players in this comp so Bay can put out a decent rep side this year.

Forestland from Tokoroa are the defending champions.
The other premier clubs are Pacific from Tokoroa, Mangakino, Taupo Phoenix, Pikiao from Rotorua, Arataki Bears from Mt Maunganui and Te Paamu from the outskirts of Te Puke.

Russell Packer is helping coach Te Paamu but says he isn’t playing but Ben Matulino is registered to play.
Te Paamu have been in the league wilderness for about 15 years and returned and won the reserve grade last year.

Mangakino are overdue for a title. They are always close and have lost three GFs in recent years.
They have a few commited stalwarts who deserve a title.

Arataki are in their second season as a league club and have lots of ex union players mixed with some quality league players.

It’s going to be a fantastic comp.

Like any region though, it seems there are only just enough referees to get by.

Sounds like a strong comp with good reserve grade numbers.
How is junior football going?

 

[Ref]

Sounds like a strong comp with good reserve grade numbers.
How is junior football going?

It is a strong even comp.
Arataki played Richmond Bulldogs in a pre season game a month or ago and it was pretty even throughout.
Richmond got a couple of late tries to seal it.

13s down is pretty strong numbers wise. 14s to 17s are hanging in there.

 

[snake77]

The other premier clubs are Pacific from Tokoroa, Mangakino, Taupo Phoenix, Pikiao from Rotorua, Arataki Bears from Mt Maunganui and Te Paamu from the outskirts of Te Puke.

Russell Packer is helping coach Te Paamu but says he isn’t playing but Ben Matulino is registered to play.
Te Paamu have been in the league wilderness for about 15 years and returned and won the reserve grade last year.

Do they still have a Bay of Plenty competition and Coastline?

I grew up playing in the Coastline competition. It used to have a lot of teams in the 90s. Used to have the Origin type games with East vs West. I still remember my mate turning up to the East vs West when they'd play at the Mt soccer stadium. The East guys would barely get a team together or enough to train. My mate turns up and sees one of his mates from the Coastline team. The guys says how they are playing for that big check over there. If that information was passed on to the East side they would have managed to get a full team organised.

Back then Te Paamu was one of the top sides. Played quite a bit over there.

I remember playing a school game in Te Puke we got smashed but it was 13 plus reserves vs 11 with half never played league before. After the game I apologised for a head high tackle on one of their guys. He said he gets it every week playing premiers for Te Paamu. I'm thinking I don't remember playing you, then I play on the wing for our team and played lock in this game and I physically bashed most of your team. No way he'd last against our forward pack, especially with my best mate being one of the stars of that competition.

We also used to play at the field just outside of the Mount. I can't recall the teams full name used to go by TWR. It was funny the first time we played there. Our coach said we were playing a new team called the TWR Raiders. Raiders was our name so straight away everyone was "they took our name". After the game we are in the club rooms and I start laughing. My mate asks "What is your problem". I point to the sign and it says TWR Whalers.

Getting to that ground before cell phones was an experience. We all said there is no field outside of the Mount. So we went to the field in Te Puke and got told you idiots are at the wrong field.

The game was also funny. Two of my mates smashed their biggest guy and he walked to halfway and sat down. We then had an all in brawl and guys were saying they had kids hitting them with the corner posts.

 

[Ref]

BOP and Coastline are still separate districts but pretty much Premiers down to under 15s are combined comps.
I too remember the peak of Coastline in the mid 90s.
Here’s some nostalgia for you Snake.
In 1991-1995 here are some of the clubs.
Opotiki Knights
Kia Toa from Opo
Te Urewera Stags from Waimana.
Taneatua
Whakatane Sharks.
Taiwhakaea from Whakatane
Kawerau Raiders
Te Teko Bulldogs
Edgecumbe
TWR
Mt Maunganui
Tauranga Warriors
Te Paamu
Rangiuru had two men’s teams in 1994.
Judea
Welcome Bay Marlins
A team from Te Puna or Katikati

In 1994 there was a 10 team premier grade and most teams had reserve grade sides I believe.

I think there was also a separate senior comp for clubs just with the one men’s teams.
Your beloved Kawerau had two teams.

 

[dean]

BOP and Coastline are still separate districts but pretty much Premiers down to under 15s are combined comps.
I too remember the peak of Coastline in the mid 90s.
Here’s some nostalgia for you Snake.
In 1991-1995 here are some of the clubs.
Opotiki Knights
Kia Toa from Opo
Te Urewera Stags from Waimana.
Taneatua
Whakatane Sharks.
Taiwhakaea from Whakatane
Kawerau Raiders
Te Teko Bulldogs
Edgecumbe
TWR
Mt Maunganui
Tauranga Warriors
Te Paamu
Rangiuru had two men’s teams in 1994.
Judea
Welcome Bay Marlins
A team from Te Puna or Katikati

In 1994 there was a 10 team premier grade and most teams had reserve grade sides I believe.

I think there was also a separate senior comp for clubs just with the one men’s teams.
Your beloved Kawerau had two teams.

Did you play against Gary Mercer? Good player, I think he returned to BOP after his pro career?

 

[snake77]

Playing league while growing up in small town New Zealand in the 90s was tough getting the game going.

Often we'd have games organised and it would fall through. We'd get told it was the opposition. I wouldn't be surprised if the coaches couldn't be bothered driving an hour to stand in the rain and the opposition thought we couldn't get a team sorted.

Or a day with a lot of age groups and being the older kids our team is waiting to see guys turn up our size. Some kids turn up, guys get hopeful but those guys are small. Then realise every age group is playing except us.

 

[snake77]

Yeah the Tarawera Raiders. Don't think they exist anymore. Think the local team now is the Putuaki Stags.

Gone from Boyce Park to Tarawera Park. At least they get changing rooms now.

I pity people trying to drive past Boyce Park back in the day there were cars everywhere when a game was on.

I think a lot of those teams are gone or changed now.

I had a mate who moved to Taiwhakaea. I had know idea where it was until another mate mentioned we played them. I missed one game there but I remember my mate telling me that when they turned up all they heard about was these two brothers and how they were the enforcers. One just out of prison. Of course one of our guys flattens one of them with a high tackle so one brother is on the floor knocked out. The tough guy straight out of prison comes running across to avenge his bother and ends up knocked out next to him.

I remember my mate telling me. Yeah basically Stevie flattened the two of them by himself.

 

[Ref]

Did you play against Gary Mercer? Good player, I think he returned to BOP after his pro career?

No.
I played un the Coastline comp in the early 90s and in the mid 2000s in BOP for a few seasons.

 

[snake77]

Growing up playing in the provinces we used to think the Auckland sides would get all of the best coaching. Now I live in Auckland and I hear the same things but pointed towards Australia. Different times as it is 20 years later and situations change.

Our club didn't even have changing rooms. That was a luxury some weeks. Mainly got changed by the car.

I remember getting into my mates car one year and he had a few cans of bake beans and other items. I asked what they were for. Apparently it was for a raffle to get funds to pay our subscription to the NZRL. Now I never heard or saw of any raffle after that. I still suspect it was someone's plan to scam some free groceries.

 

[snake77]

A good example of some of the rocket scientist I used to play with.

Our coach one year said we should put on a after match function for the opposition. So bring a pot.

Most of us just brought a packet of biscuits or chips from home. Or something that could be heated up.

One guy turns up with a pot. Why. Because the coach said bring a pot. Usually it is bring a plate so we all took it as bring something. We all asked this guy did you expect about 17 guys to turn up with a pot but with different flavours.

 

[spazzahdazzah3100]

Yeah the Tarawera Raiders. Don't think they exist anymore. Think the local team now is the Putuaki Stags.

Gone from Boyce Park to Tarawera Park. At least they get changing rooms now.

I pity people trying to drive past Boyce Park back in the day there were cars everywhere when a game was on.

I think a lot of those teams are gone or changed now.

I had a mate who moved to Taiwhakaea. I had know idea where it was until another mate mentioned we played them. I missed one game there but I remember my mate telling me that when they turned up all they heard about was these two brothers and how they were the enforcers. One just out of prison. Of course one of our guys flattens one of them with a high tackle so one brother is on the floor knocked out. The tough guy straight out of prison comes running across to avenge his bother and ends up knocked out next to him.

I remember my mate telling me. Yeah basically Stevie flattened the two of them by himself.

Yeah the Tarawera Raiders. Don't think they exist anymore. Think the local team now is the Putuaki Stags.

Gone from Boyce Park to Tarawera Park. At least they get changing rooms now.

I pity people trying to drive past Boyce Park back in the day there were cars everywhere when a game was on.

I think a lot of those teams are gone or changed now.

I had a mate who moved to Taiwhakaea. I had know idea where it was until another mate mentioned we played them. I missed one game there but I remember my mate telling me that when they turned up all they heard about was these two brothers and how they were the enforcers. One just out of prison. Of course one of our guys flattens one of them with a high tackle so one brother is on the floor knocked out. The tough guy straight out of prison comes running across to avenge his bother and ends up knocked out next to him.

I remember my mate telling me. Yeah basically Stevie flattened the two of them by himself.

Kia ora. Just replying to your comments about your memory's on the Kawerau Raider's against Taiwhakaea Hammerheads game.. I played in that game. It was at Cutler cres whakatane.behind the polytech next to the stop bank. The 2 brothers were from Taiwhakaea. I know for sure the big brother is no longer with us. His brother was a nippy fast winger. He ran around me.. and I just threw my arm. He dropped but never stayed down. Of course the big brother came in to smash me.but rikihana te rangi got in the way and took the brunt of the impact.which gave me enough time to turn and punch the big brother in the face. He dropped too but never stayed down. I was ordered out of the park. So I jumped the fence and stood on the stop bank. I got stood down for 6weeks.end of that game I shook hands with both brothers. Because that's how we rolled in coastline in those days. Every team had enforcers. Some teams more than others.Taiwhakea had kihi. Sonny smith. Mike TePou Trog.Frog to name a few. Te Punawi had Dallas hohua.. Dave and Chaz Gonna. Tyron rangi. Opotiki had some monsters spike big Dion and Ox and b Barns. Knights had Richard Kurei. Te Teko had Pat Hill Caesar and Dino Rangi. Edgcumbe Steelers the Smith brothers and Pete Ngaheu.TePaamu was packed large and small Leota Witere.Lincon Simon Wilson brothers. Roy .warriors Tauranga had Lance Waaka Willie rarere Willie ratu big kerryleleef.raiders had my brother Joe ..Steve Dean's.. Phil Gamer.. Shane KareKare.. Justin Raki Quentin Pukeroa Aaron Wi. DesJnr. Leon Chase Sam Tawera played for us after he started the Teko bulldogs. Zahan herewini. These guys were also coastline reps. I've been a raider from start 1984 to end2004. Won one grand final against TePaamu. On their home ground and lifted the trophy in their clubhouse as captain.theres more great players I've missed sorry brothers. Raider Lionel TeRiini is my name.

 

[spazzahdazzah3100]

BOP and Coastline are still separate districts but pretty much Premiers down to under 15s are combined comps.
I too remember the peak of Coastline in the mid 90s.
Here’s some nostalgia for you Snake.
In 1991-1995 here are some of the clubs.
Opotiki Knights
Kia Toa from Opo
Te Urewera Stags from Waimana.
Taneatua
Whakatane Sharks.
Taiwhakaea from Whakatane
Kawerau Raiders
Te Teko Bulldogs
Edgecumbe
TWR
Mt Maunganui
Tauranga Warriors
Te Paamu
Rangiuru had two men’s teams in 1994.
Judea
Welcome Bay Marlins
A team from Te Puna or Katikati

In 1994 there was a 10 team premier grade and most teams had reserve grade sides I believe.

I think there was also a separate senior comp for clubs just with the one men’s teams.
Your beloved Kawerau had two teams.

Kawerau Raider's had all 3 premier's reserves and seniors aswell as all the junior grades from 6sto17s.

 

[Ref]

Kawerau Raider's had all 3 premier's reserves and seniors aswell as all the junior grades from 6sto17s.

Wicked updates Lionel.
In Coastline I played four years for Sharks, one season TGA Warriors and half a season Taiwhakaea.
Full back mostly.
I think we played together in 1992 for East Coastline v West at Rugby Park.
Have been reffing for years.

 

[Teets]

Waikato comp only has 5 prem teams this year: Taniwharau, NGA Panthers, Turangawaewae, Hamilton City Tigers, Hamilton Ravens (Hukanui & COB combined).

10 teams in rezzies. 4 of the above, plus Te Awamutu Firehawks, Tāharoa Steelers, Whaingaroa (Raglan) Whai, Whatawhata Wolves, Hauraki Tigers, Hamilton/Matangi Hornets.

Interestingly the Whai and Wolves have essentially switched from being rugby teams and come over to league. The Jaradites also tried but kept defaulting due to lack of numbers.

Ladies comp has 8 teams.

Shame we can't get back together with the BOP, as it'd be awesome to mix it up with the strong South Waikato teams in Tokoroa in particular.

 

[Teets]

Speaking of the Women's game, the growth has been extraordinary.

8 teams in Waikato.
13 in BOP!!

 

[Ref]

Waikato comp only has 5 prem teams this year: Taniwharau, NGA Panthers, Turangawaewae, Hamilton City Tigers, Hamilton Ravens (Hukanui & COB combined).

10 teams in rezzies. 4 of the above, plus Te Awamutu Firehawks, Tāharoa Steelers, Whaingaroa (Raglan) Whai, Whatawhata Wolves, Hauraki Tigers, Hamilton/Matangi Hornets.

Interestingly the Whai and Wolves have essentially switched from being rugby teams and come over to league. The Jaradites also tried but kept defaulting due to lack of numbers.

Ladies comp has 8 teams.

Shame we can't get back together with the BOP, as it'd be awesome to mix it up with the strong South Waikato teams in Tokoroa in particular.

Yep Waicoa Bay would rock.

 

[John Nick]

Yep Waicoa Bay would rock.

A few years ago I did a project for Waicoa RL.
I dealt with a guy John D.
Nice bloke

 

[Ref]

A few years ago I did a project for Waicoa RL.
I dealt with a guy John D.
Nice bloke

JD.
Big Fullah?
Big with NZ Māori RL.
Hearty league man