Hawks ready for final

BY TONY BIRD

The Hawera Hawks will be looking to break a 30-year drought when taking on the Bell Block Marist Dragons in the Lile Shield grand final at New Plymouth's Yarrow Stadium tomorrow.

Three decades have passed since Hawera snatched a last-gasp victory in Taranaki Rugby League's premier final, beating the Waitara Bears 19-18.

Hawks coach Bruce Kahu joined the club five years after that victory and has been searching for success since.

"It was back in the time that Graeme West (Hawera man and former New Zealand Rugby League great) was around.

"They were still talking about it when I started playing league for the Hawera club in about the 1984-85 season," Kahu recalled yesterday.

The Hawks have had to settle for spots in the senior reserve or development grade finals since the 1979 win.

"It's been a long time coming," Kahu said. "Getting this far for the first time in 30 years is quite unreal, actually."

Hawera earned its spot in tomorrow's grand final by upsetting competition heavyweight Waitara 32-26 in the semifinals last Saturday.

Kahu said toppling the Bears had seemed impossible before the match, but his team played out of its skin on the day and wanted the win a bit more.

In their round-robin encounter, the Marist Dragons came out on top 48-22, but Kahu said his team had been disrupted by the flu sweeping through the camp.

"Most of the team had the flu and the guys were pretty stuffed," he said.

There will be no excuses this week though, Kahu saying his team was fit and raring to go tomorrow.

"We've had two training runs this week and everyone is pretty relaxed and really looking forward to Sunday."

Kahu said his game plan tomorrow centred on getting his team to do the basics right. "That's what's required in finals."

The core of the Hawera Hawks side comes in the form of the Hori family, of Hawera.

Damien Hori, Jacob Hori, Tama Hori and Tyson Hori are in the 17 named in the premier side.

And the Hori name is dotted through the Hawks' development team with Michael Hori and Hohepa Hori taking the field in the final against Okaiawa-Normanby, also at Yarrow Stadium tomorrow afternoon.

The Marist Dragons are the defending champions and boast a wealth of finals experience.

Back as head coach of the Bell Block side this year after a season off is Paul Silich.

He coached the 2007 side that lost the final to Waitara.

"Hopefully I can crack a win this year," he quipped. "Two or three of the players plan to hang up their boots after the final so they want to go out on a good note."

The Dragons have won the Lile Shield five times in the past decade and have only lost two matches so far this season a round robin match against Waitara and a Western Alliance semifinal to the Coastal Cobras.

Silich has plenty of respect for the Hawks, saying he thinks the side's forward strength will be a key.

"They've got some big units in there and they'll come out firing and we'll definitely have to work hard if we are to get the win.

"They've got a good side right across the paddock."

Silich has no injury concerns in his line-up and will rely on standout forward Nathan Ransfield and the side's leading tryscorer this season Dylan Hall to fire once again.

Tomorrow's rugby league grand finals day features eight games with the under-6 final and under-8 decider kicking off the action-packed day at 9.15am.

Kickoff in the premier final is scheduled for 3pm.

MARIST DRAGONS: Vinnie Hill, Jesse Craig, Taani Prestney, Rocko Teriveia, Jason Mattock, Dylan Hall, Craig Mattock, Trent Berge, D. J. Martin/Javan Cassidy, Nathan Ransfield, Anthony Kipa, Codean Manu, Josef Silich; reserves, Pani Falaniko, Mike Katene, Dylan O'Dowd, Antz Tipalady, George Paraha, Chad Nepia. Coach Paul Silich.

HAWERA HAWKS: Rickie Gardiner, Zaheer Jeftha, Jason Rankin, Dominic Maraki, Damien Hori, Jacob Hori, Dougie Maraki, Tama Hori, Shane Rore, Leonard Ratima, Tyson Hori, Troy Kunaiti, Francis Katene, Gabrielle Taylor, Jazz Turahui, Jason Ngahue, Massey Makea; coach Bruce Kahu, assistants Niven Kukutai, John Leef.

- © Fairfax NZ News