Fans snap up Makos tickets
Avid Tasman Makos fan Nixon Marfell is sporting a hairstyle in support of his favourite rugby team ahead of their premiership final appearance this weekend.
The youngster first had the Makos logo shaved onto the back of his head at Nelson’s Chop City Barbers for the team’s last game against Southland.
He had his hairstyle touched up this week before heading to Christchurch for the final of the Mitre 10 Cup competition against Canterbury on Saturday at AMI Stadium.
His father, Kahu Marfell, said Nixon was one of the Makos’ biggest fans.
‘‘Nixon would be right up there with one of the keenest Mako supporters around. He watches all the games and Marty Banks is his favourite player.’’
Kahu played two seasons for the Makos.
His last game was against Otago in 2007, before Nixon was born.
Nathan Nuku Nuku, of Chop City Barbers, said the Makos logo was one of their most popular designs.
Leading up to the game, he had shaved a shark on several heads, with more booked in ahead of the weekend’s final.
Nuku Nuku had also been asked to set up in a barber shop in Christchurch on Saturday morning to shave the design for Tasman fans who lived in Canterbury.
He was heading to the game with a bunch of mates, including some who got their tickets through a giveaway by The Car Company in Nelson.
The Car Company owner Shane Drummond, a self-proclaimed rugby nut, said he wanted a decent contingent of Makos supporters to be present at the final against Canterbury, so decided to shout supporters 1500 tickets to the game.
‘‘For most of the away games we’ve had this year, we’ve had limited support and yet they’ve done so well,’’ he said.
More than half of the tickets he purchased had already been given out.
‘‘There is no denying it has been a major success.’’
He was waiting to hear about the number of tickets left, but estimated about 900 had been given away, including 300 in Blenheim.
He said people had been ‘‘unbelievably appreciative’’ of the offer, and he hoped it would entice more supporters to get their fins up for the team.
‘‘If I say, ‘come in and get a free one’ then it will probably encourage more people to go and it already has.’’
"Nixon [Marfell] would be right up there with one of the keenest Mako supporters around." Kahu Marfell