Brighter future ahead for Raiders

TOP TRIO: Legends of League awards for 2009 went to, from left: Ken Stirling, Mike Heke and Quenten Dane.

It was a tough year for Hibiscus Coast Raiders rugby league club.

Despite a great enrolment of 115 players, the Sharman Cuo team was plagued with injuries and work pressures which forced many to forsake games in favour of remaining in employment during these hard times.

"By the third week of April we had an injury list of 30, quite incredible," says club chairwoman Karen Gibbons.

"Still, we got through the season and are looking forward to a fresh start in 2010. All coaching positions have been advertised and, with the number of young players coming through, we can look to a bright future," she says.

The best performance probably came from the dedicated under-18s who worked hard and reached the semifinals of their grade.

There was plenty of confidence at the senior prizegiving with Ken Stirling, Mike Heke and Quenten Dane earning themselves Legends of League 2009 awards. Mike has chalked up more than 300 senior games while Quenten has served the club for 21 years.

Quenten began his club career in 1981 with Pt Chevalier in the under-9s, where, he says, he was the runt of the team.

As an under-15 in 1987, Quenten started playing at Hibiscus Coast Raiders.

At 19, he made the premier side and also the Auckland Maori. A year later it was into the Auckland Warriors under-21s and an invitation to trial for the Kiwis, an opportunity missed because of sickness.

He toured Australia with the Warriors under-21s and in 1994 and 1995 was with the North Harbour Sea Eagles, who won the Lion Red Cup.

In 1998 he was with the Northcote Tigers and a year later was back with the Raiders playing in the Fox Memorial, an event the team won in 2002.

He was captain of the inaugural Bartercard team and in 2006 was assistant coach to fellow inductee Mike Heke in the Phelan Shield which they won.

Mike’s story is a bit different.

He was playing first division rugby in Wellsford and his brother wanted him to play for his team.

They were a boozy outfit and after an argument with Violet – she who knows best, he says – he said he would go to league. Violet then rang Jeff Turner who told him to come to training.

When he arrived for his first training two days later back in the 1990s, he was a 100kg winger. For four years he travelled every week from Wellsford for training and games, missing only two – one because of a leg injury and the other when his father died.

Mike has played Regional Cup, Roope Rooster, Phelan, Sharman, Fox and Bartercard for the Raiders.

He had his share of wounds. In one game Mike’s bottom lip was ripped away from his chin and six teeth were broken and sat back under his tongue.

Mike wanted the physio to pull the teeth out so he could go back out and keep playing. She refused.

The dentist at Red Beach put braces on and told him to rest out the season but Mike asked to make the wire stronger so he could play.

Mike has played for the club for many years including this one. But he has also coached.

In 2005 he co-coached with Dallas Heremaia. In 2006 when Dallas passed away suddenly he took over.

The next two years he coached the Phelan team which finished first in the first year and second the next.

Other awards on the night included club trophies to Buck Hall and Te Waaka Martin for defensive play, and top points scorer Ryan Gibbons.

Sharman team trophies went to best back Cullan Green-McNiff and Dwayne Thompson in the reserves. Best forward in the premier team was Asher Fernie-Harper and Shane Gibbons in the reserves. Sportsman of the year was Mark Tainui and player of the year Adrian Watson.

In the under-18s, the coaches’ choice award went to Seungtah Suh. Best back was Ryan Gibbons and best forward Lewis David. Most improved player was Daniel Carr and most dedicated Ethan Berry.

The sportsman of the year award went the way of Tim Neville while Buck Hall was named player of the year.