Championship Final: The Bay vs Hawkes
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Fog starting to clear in my head from my own celebrations and getting ready for massive test match later.
Just want to say congrats the Bay for their first title (even Mickey Mouse ones) and also retaining the bay title. also congrats to the Hawkes team for a great season and nearly stole both titles.
South Central Vikings we are coming for you next year
(if we can borrow that cheque book) -
@bayimports said in Mickey Mouse Final: The Bay vs Hawkes:
Fog starting to clear in my head from my own celebrations and getting ready for massive test match later.
Just want to say congrats the Bay for their first title (even Mickey Mouse ones) and also retaining the bay title. also congrats to the Hawkes team for a great season and nearly stole both titles.
South Central Vikings we are coming for you next year
(if we can borrow that cheque book)3rd title? NPC in 1976, won Div 2 in 2000 ....
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Thoughts from last night.
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Nepotism alive and well in the Bay - last week it was Mike Delany's son taking out the match ball, last night it was Clayton McMillan's daughter.
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Who else was thinking they would prefer the guy carrying the kicking tee to take the kicks instead of Hollinshead?
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Running along with the ball in one hand looking to flick it out of the back works much better when you're almost breaking the line rather than running sideways and about to be gang tackled.
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Goal line defence by the Bay reminiscent of the home game against Wellington back in 2004.
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Loved (hated) the fact we couldn't even close out the game after the hooter with a simple line-out and kick it out.
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We will be fighting to stay up in the top division without some strengthening.
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My thoughts:-
- Shame on you Rotorua for not coming out in numbers to the semi and the final. Those games were high profile and the weather came to the party so there really wasn't to many excuses for the poor attendance. I'm sure if those games were played in Tauranga there would have been almost double the crowd. I see the topic of a Tauranga stadium is appearing in the media again.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=12277572
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While it wasn't a flash game, it was enthralling, probably because it was a final and close. The Manawatu semi, while being a spectacle, just wasn't as captivating for me... mainly because it was so one sided. I'm a hard man to please I guess even if I aged 10 years during last nights game.
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I haven't seen the game on TV but, at the ground , the game plan seemed odd. Too much kicking (especially in the first half) and not enough use of the strike power out wide.
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Good on them for holding out at the end ! Past teams perhaps wouldn't have.
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I guess we will have to start wondering who will be back next year (and who won't) and who will move to the province. If the rumours are true (and I'm not saying they are) we will be getting Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi for next year which is interesting.
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Given that we beat three Premier teams and almost beat a couple of others , I think this years team would foot it comfortably in the top division. However we don't know the make up of next years team so things are somewhat uncertain. I think I heard Clayton McMillan say somewhere that it is easier to stay in The Premier Division than it is to get promoted up from the Championship which stands to reason.
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The Union seems to be in a good position right now with success of age group teams, Development and The Steamers which bodes well for the future.
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I will miss the NPC .
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@Snollygoster having been to all 3 venues down in the Bay,I prefer Tauranga Domain, it would be a great place to rebuild an updated Stadium, at Bay Park, it is just too far away from the action and for some reason ,people just don’t turn up to Rotorua Stadium ..
I know chatting to a family member who was at the game on Friday , he was totally surprised how poor the crowd was not to mention the lack of atmosphere.. -
@Steven-Harris I have a BoP mate, Mount based, who used to bemoan the fact that his people (Tauranga/Mount area) would refuse to travel to Rotorua for games, so I don't think it can be laid at the feet of Rotorua solely.
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@Nepia yeah I have heard that as well..,maybe Rotorua can get day games and Tauranga gets the evening games..would like to see the Mitre 10 cup start their games at 7:pm
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@Steven-Harris said in Mickey Mouse Final: The Bay vs Hawkes:
@Nepia yeah I have heard that as well..,maybe Rotorua can get day games and Tauranga gets the evening games..would like to see the Mitre 10 cup start their games at 7:pm
TBH, outside of the Battle of the Bays my care factor is pretty low for what happens in Steamers land ... I'm annoyed at myself for pushing this thread to the top and compounding my misery.
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@Nepia Seems to be quite different to what it was like when HB used to alternate matches between Nelson and McLean Parks. Good numbers of Napier people used to willingly travel to Nelson Park and Hastings folk did the same to McLean Park to support our team and I would not be surprised if a good percentage of the crowd nowadays at McLean Park still makes the trip over. Admittedly the distance is not as great as that between Tauranga and Rotorua so I suppose that helps as does the fact that all games were afternoon kickoffs in the days of Nelson Park.
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@Steven-Harris said in Mickey Mouse Final: The Bay vs Hawkes:
@Snollygoster having been to all 3 venues down in the Bay,I prefer Tauranga Domain, it would be a great place to rebuild an updated Stadium, at Bay Park, it is just too far away from the action and for some reason ,people just don’t turn up to Rotorua Stadium ..
I know chatting to a family member who was at the game on Friday , he was totally surprised how poor the crowd was not to mention the lack of atmosphere..Unfortunately a problem for decades..Few from Tauranga will travel to Rotorua and vice versa (and yes Bay park, you are miles away).
Although asking someone to travel after work on a Friday who also want to have a couple of drinks could also play a factor...probably not main factor, but would impact a some i would guess.
Tauranga domain my favourite to watch from too
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@bayimports said in Mickey Mouse Final: The Bay vs Hawkes:
Unfortunately a problem for decades..Few from Tauranga will travel to Rotorua and vice versa (and yes Bay park, you are miles away).
Where do the players come from? Or is it about 50/50?
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actually this year I believe the bulk of it was from teams closer to Tauranga eg, Tauranga, Te Puna, Greerton, the Mount, Te Puke, Rangataua
Im sure @Snollygoster will have the complete breakdown.
Its certainly not always the case, but this year it was. Probably also contribute to more turning up to the domain as well I'm sure
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@bayimports You're right. By far and away the bulk of club players in the Steamers come from The Western Bay although I don't know what the exact beakdown is. Its always been a "bone of contention" from Rotorua clubs that more of their players aren't selected but the fact of the matter is that Western Bay Clubs are better at recruiting. I don't think however that is the reason for the difference in crowd numbers. Theres probably several reasons.
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The demographics of Rotorua and Tauranga are totally different. Tauranga seems to be older and possibly more affluent.
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Rotorua is burdened with night games which aren't much fun when its cold, and hence the low crowd numbers. Its easier to get a crowd for a day game although I'm sure Tauranga day game crowds would still be bigger than Rotorua day time crowds.
At the end of the day it doesn't really matter as Rotorua is the only place with lights so it gets all night games. The BOPRU has however given Tauranga three games this year which was one more than last year. I personally would love a stadium with lights at Tauranga with all games there but I doubt that will never happen.
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