RUGBY LEAGUE Plenty of new talent for Whalers S. Island Championship
Otago Whalers
HALF the team might be new but the plan remains the same.
The Otago Whalers are hoping their large contingent of new faces will help carry them into the Premiership.
That quest begins on the West Coast today.
The Whalers will play the Chargers on their home turf in Greymouth.
Otago has named nine debutants in its squad of 17, which is a lot. In all, there are 13 rookies in the wider squad.
Among the newbies there are some very talented players. Look out for backrower Israel Otunuku. He had a barnstorming game for the South Pacific Raiders in the club final.
Winger Kiardyn Hatch is another who is expected to have a big impact for the Whalers in his rookie season.
Massive prop Champ Betham is unavailable this weekend, but is also new to the squad. He swatted off tacklers all season and will be a huge asset for the Whalers, who have some very large props this season.
There are some key figures missing for the opening game. Playmaker Mackenzie Haugh and another exciting rookie, Jordan McEntee, will be in Hamilton playing for the Southern Bush Pigs in the final of the New Zealand Under85kg Club Cup.
Tama Apineru, Piliu Tavake, Sam Wyber, Tofatu Solia, Kiardyn Hatch, Louis Tili, Troy Anstiss (captain), Israel Otunuku, Jayden Hollander, Tupou Fifita, Lawrence Ualesi, Nale Fifita, Manassah Kutia, Michael Strydom, Layne Opetaia, Saia Fifita, Hagan Free.
That game is the curtainraiser for the All Blacks’ match against Argentina.
Veteran prop Ricki Allan is also unavailable, having caught Covid19 recently.
Troy Anstiss will captain the side from halfback. It has been many years since someone captain Otago from that position. All BlackturnedKiwi Jimmy Haig had that role in 1954, so perhaps that is a good sign.
Coach Dave Reedy is thrilled with the squad he has put together for the season.
There would be a lot of competition for places, particularly in the forwards.
‘‘It is quite a wellbalanced squad this year,’’ he said.
‘‘We’ve got good size right across the park. We haven’t really had that in a little while.
‘‘It is probably the biggest forward pack that we’ll be rolling out in the last five years.’’
Reedy expects a tough opener against the West Coast.
‘‘We played them here last year and gave them a bit of a touchup. But they always struggle travelling and it will be a total different kettle of fish on the West Coast.’’
The Whalers won the Championship trophy last year, so they will be starting with some confidence.
Following the match against the West Coast, they play Aoraki on September 10 and Southland on September 17.
Both those fixtures are at
Hancock Park in Dunedin.
If the Whalers win the South Island Championship, they play the top North Island team in the final; the winner earns promotion to the Premiership.
That is the goal.