Usual suspects loom as leading contenders
Four of Manawatu’s five rugby league clubs have new coaches this season, in what should be an interesting year with a new competition.
The season starts with the Coast to Coast competition, which is a combined Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu and Taranaki competition, then gets into the Manawatu season at the end of May. Palmerston North club the
should again be one of the top clubs under new coach Peter Butler, who has taken over as coach from his father Mike.
The side has been training since November and had preseason games against Victoria Hunters from Wellington and Otaki’s Whiti Te Ra.
Kia Ora have lost the final for the past two years so are determined to win the crown this year.
There are a few young players who have made the step up, but still have the core of last year’s team.
Tanu Aumua is back to play in the back row and halves and Zane Warbrick is back from rugby to play in the forwards.
Iakopo Mauola played for all of Kia Ora’s age group teams and has graduated to the senior side. He is normally a back rower but is likely to play in the outside backs this season.
Taylor Haimona has come from rugby to play lock or in the halves, and centre Tyson Tallanoa is another to come from rugby.
College Old Boys rugby loose forward Api Ratugolea from COB has changed codes and will play prop for Kia Ora this year.
Lock or half Pare Tapiata is back, as is Johnny Kerrick and veteran forward Daniel Timoti, and experienced playmaker Corey Governor has returned to the club after playing for Tainui last season.
They have also picked up rugby player Pepa Moefili, a rugby halfback from Old Boys-marist, to play hooker.
Butler has Mark Jones and Dean Wilson as his assistants.
Defending Manawatu champions have most of their squad back from last season.
Ora Warriors Whanganui Boxon Kia
Boxon will start off playing in the Coast to Coast competition in the western pool with the Taranaki teams, but will be in the Manawatu competition once Coast to Coast finishes.
The Whanganui club has had good numbers to training and played a pre-season nines tournament at Raetihi.
Paki Ngaira is back to coach the team and his son, Paki Junior, a prop or second rower, may play once waka ama is finished.
Influential halfback Haze Reweti, workhorse loose forward Woody and second rower Josh Metekingi are all back again.
Corey Robinson, who played Boxon under-18 and is a junior rep player, is in the team as a hooker this year and they have a handful of new players.
Tau Tautahi is a forward they have picked up from rugby.
A big loss to the team is Gordy Karaitiana, a representative prop, who has gone to play in Australia.
They have also lost veteran back rower Richie Puohotaua, who injured his leg in a car accident so has retired.
Hooker Tane Rapeta is in the army and may be playing for Linton this season.
The are in their second year since their return to the senior competition and have had a bit of a clean out from last season.
Club chairman John Nolan has taken over as coach from Te Amo Paea and Michael Hempel, and Nolan has a lot of new players this season who have come up from their junior teams.
A few players left from last season, so most of the team is aged between 18 and 23 and because they are young, Nolan was backing them to use their fitness and skills rather than trying to get in the grind against bigger teams.
Lance Honotapu will captain at prop this year. Two of the returning players from last season
Tainui Rhinos
contenders the are looking strong again after last year where they reached the Western Alliance final.
There is a new coach this season in Ray Warner, who has been an assistant to Lawrence Erihe, but Erihe has stood down to run the Manawatu junior competition.
Linton have also lost nine from last year’s team, including eight rep players, but even with that they are likely to be in the mix at the business end of the season.
Sione Akau, Koki Vaisagote, Codie Christensen, Zacharia Tahi Tahi, PJ Katoa, Serevasio Vetenibua, Nigel Nuku and Hosea Taripo are all not playing this year due to army postings, injury, work or family commitments.
Three key men back this season are forwards Henning Petersen and Leo Tanginoa and fullback Leon Walker, who were unavailable last season, and they also have rep players Pita Marshall, Eruera Wirihana, Lugh Gimpl, Nikolao Ioane, Logan Afoa and Tevita Faukafa returning.
Halfback Hayden Lovie and Solomua Falemai are co-captains.
The have a new coach this year, with Morehu Dellow taking over from Darren Pullen, who has stood down from coaching so he can play.
Pullen, who can play in the halves or hooker, is likely to captain the team this season.
The Magpies are confident of doing well as long as they get everyone on the park, but as usual they will have players away at times with their air force commitments.
Linton Cobras Ohakea Magpies