Unbeaten Dannevirke boys win Premier Four grade
For a team which struggled to field 15 players each week, for Dannevirke High School’s 2nd XV to go through the season in the Manawatu Secondary Schools Premiere Four grade unbeaten and win the Cup is a remarkable achievement.
It is a tribute to the coaches — Johnny Sweetman and Andrew Galloway, the players, parents and manager Buck McKay who rounded the players up each week to play.
Sandwiched between the 1st XV and the under 15s, the Dannevirke High School 2nd XV flew under the radar in terms of its successes.
Entered in the Premiere Four grade comprising 2nd XVs from Freyberg and Hato Paora and 3rd XVs from Palmerston North Boys High and Feilding High School, the team scored 355 points in the season, conceding 183 and its lowest game points tally was 29 — in the final.
Winning the first game with only 13 players was a very good omen for Buck, and he resolved to make the effort to find a team for each week.
He and Craig Sweetman each drove a mini-bus for away games as coach Johnny had other coaching commitments in town.
After his season-ending injury Andrew Galloway helped coach and took charge on away trips.
The team’s final game summarised the character of the players.
Down at half-time against Palmerston North Boys High, one DHS player was sinbinned soon after the start of the second followed by two more who argued with the referee.
Down to 12 players the team rallied, denying any more points and when the three players returned the floodgates opened, with DHS running away with the game 29-10. Buck says there are players with great potential in the team but no-one should be singled out.
“They were all team players and the result was a team effort.”