Club League and the 2014 Season Winners

Defending champions, Hikurangi Stags target their third Northland Title in three years, after they defeated the Moerewa Tigers 32 – 14 in Saturday’s Major Semi Final at Toll Stadium.

The game was set to be a titanic struggle as both teams had traded blow for blow leading into a 12 – 10 Hikurangi lead at half time.  The Tiger’s forwards had dominated the Stags.  But it was the Stags who fired in the second half as the Tigers seemed to have suffered from their two week rest and they failed to fire in the second half.

For the Stags, Co-Captain/Coach Joe Rau, was again instrumental in leading his side around the park scoring a try and kicking four goals.  He was backed up by the dynamic, Innocent Tuimavae (1 try) and winger Shelden McKinley (2 tries), with Dean Shreurs (1 try) tireless at Hooker.  For the Tigers, Northland legend Tawio Davis, was involved in everything and was rewarded with two tries.  Teimi Ransfield was a force on defence and was rewarded with a try.

For the Stags, this will be their fifth consecutive final.  They have won back to back twice – but never three in a row, as Kaikohe upset them in 2010.  Standing in their way in 2013 is the Takahiwai Warriors.  The Warriors defeated the Hokianga Pioneers in an impressive team display.

Led around the park by the stand out standoff Kyle Hool, with a personal tally of 18 points (2 tries and 5 goals) the Warriors didn’t really allow the Hokianga Pioneer’s a chance.  The Warrior’s forwards dominated the pace of the game with quick plays, allowing space out wide for the Tarau family to dominate with tries to Rikki, Charles and Cole!  Rikki’s try was a special – running from deep in his own 20m area to scoot around the flat footed Pioneer forward pack before racing down the touch line untouched!

The Pioneers were competitive but never really looked like a threat to the Shane Hool coached Warriors.  The Pioneers seemed to rely on Captain Richard Koroi (try) and centre Pouri Hohaia (try).  Like the Tigers, the Pioneers looked flat in the second half, it seemed like they had played their Grand Final last week with their last ditch win over the City Knights.

Semi Final Results

Takahiwai Warriors (34)  – Tries: Rikki Tarau, Charles Tarau, Cole Tarau, Kyle Hool (2).  Goals: Kyle Hool (5)

Hokianga Pioneers (18) – Tries: Richard Koroi, Pouri Hohaia, Jordan Otene. Goals: Verne Wilson (3)

Hikurangi Stags (32) – Tries: Innocent Tuimavae, Shelden McKinley (2), Joe Rau, Dean Shreurs, Te Tui Tipene. Goals:   Joe Rau (4)

Moerewa Tigers (14) – Tries: Tawio Davis (2) Tieimi Ransfield. Goals: Jayden Bentley Hape

Junior Finals

Gary Shortland’s Year 13 PE class demonstrates learned leadership qualities whilst coaching in their local community.

Rugby League Northland has kicked off the year with a roar, coaching over 600 kids in the last couple of weeks via the Leadership through League program.  Development Officers Joe Rau and Paparangi Pirini have been working with Ruawai and Kaitaia College.

In two days, in Kaitaia they have coached just over 400 students, between Pompallier Catholic and Kaitaia Primary schools.   In Ruawai, the College students coached the entire Ruawai Primary School as well as running sessions for their Year 9 and 10s at lunch times.

Alex Smits, Rugby League Northland’s General Manager has been mentoring the Mid-Far North’s new Development Officer Paparangi Pirini, in delivering the programme.  Alex Smits says, “Both he and Paparangi have been very impressed by the maturity and ownership of the Kaitaia College students, and further, have received extremely high praise from Brendon Morrissey, Principal of Kaitaia Primary and Katherine Carey, Principal of Pompallier Catholic School.

Using the Tuakana Teina philosophy of older students coaching younger students.  The Secondary School students themselves learn leadership and role modeling and in turn, teach the fundamental skills of Rugby League to younger students in Years 1 – 8.  The program has been designed to incorporate Fundamental and core League skills coaching.  RLN is also piloting a Story Book Fundamental skills program called Blue and Red that sees Years 1 and 2 relating to the farm yard experiences of “Blue and Red” – working farm dogs.  Blue and Red was designed in Queensland, Australia and reflects the Queensland and NSW Colours.

Not only that, in partnership with Northland DHB’s “Water is the Best Drink” health promotion, they are promoting our tamariki to drink water and not high sugar drinks as the best way to re-hydrate themselves.

Leading on from Coaching in Schools are Northland Regional Festivals.  In 2014 Rugby League Northland has worked with Sport Northland to plan festivals across Northland to give every school an opportunity of giving Rugby League a go.  The festivals are based around fun and participation and in most cases will be run in partnership with a local secondary school, providing Coaches (where required) and Referees, as a part of the Leadership through League Program.

The top two schools from each festival will qualify to enter an end of year Tournament in Term 4 to play for the right to be Northland Champions at Years 4-6 and 7/8.

The first festivals off the Rank are- Dargaville High School -April 10thand Kaitaia College on April 16th .

Click here for more information – Primary Schools Festivals Information

Other dates are: