The Silver Fern

FINALLY!!!

How great is it to have the Shield moving around this year!

It's going to be our turn to claim it next week

The NPC squad is set to be assembled next week, with a new jersey to be revealed as well.

• Christie makes an early return from his thumb injury
• Sione Mafile’o set to reach 90 caps
• Tony Donelley being called up to make his debut of the bench

I assume Banks is injured, he made his return against BOP only for him to miss last week’s game against Counties, and he’s still not back in the 23 this week.

What a win!
49 wins and 2 draws in 31 years.

The last 5 minutes were a bit tense

ANZAC Day is Mondayised

@Pepe All these clubs merged in 1989 to form Mahurangi, and joined Harbour, which I think is part of the reason why North Auckland became Northland.

Not our night again… but big ups to the Steelers for getting their first win of the season and the first for an Auckland side.

@Dan54 I also saw that Aupiki is being moved to the middle of the year as well, with the FPC shortly after

MELVIN MELVIN MELVIN!
Saunoa sets up the try

For the fifth year in a row, the North Harbour club rugby final will be between North Shore and Takapuna, while Helensville have taken out the Plate title after an upset win over Silverdale.

Championship Semis:
North Shore 50-3 East Coast Bays at Vauxhall Sportsfields
Takapuna 15-14 Massey at Moire Park

Plate Final:
Helensville 22-19 Silverdale at Silverdale War Memorial Park

That was close! That turnover from Oli Mathis cost us our first win of the season

Lots of fresh faces in the squad this year, here's my predicted 23 to take on the Turbos in round 1.

1. James Lay
2. Bryn Gordon
3. Sione Mafile'o
4. Tom Savage
5. Jack Lee
6. Tristyn Cook
7. Jed Melvin
8. Murphy Taramai
9. Manu Paea
10. Patrick Pellegrini
11. Sofai Maka
12. Tom Barham
13. Tima Fainga'anuku
14. Mark Tele'a
15. Kade Banks
16. Penaia Cakobau
17. Leka Tu'ungafasi
18. Riley Tofilau
19. Felix Kalapu
20. Karl Ruzich
21. Siaosi Nginingini
22. Oscar Koller
23. Tika Lelenga

@Duluth There's a few ex-Harbour boys in the Manu Samoa lineup.

• Ben Nee-Nee
• Samuel Slade (who was on loan from Counties Manukau last year)
• Henry Taefu
• Luteru Tolai
• Michael Curry (I see he played for Auckland last year and Ta$man the year before)

The boys are back at training today.

New signings being teased - the full squad will be announced next week. Appears that DPK will also stay with Wellington, so another false rumour posted in the NPC thread.

@Duluth, you beat me to it...
Tafa and Tu'ungafasi swapping places, Koller at 10, Tele'a named to start in the midfield, Banks moves to the wing with Cam Howell promoted to the starting lineup at fullback, Gage Jackson makes his debut off the bench.

Pellegrini dropped from the 23 altogether.

@Dan54 Started in 2015, also happened in 2020 and 2021

@Gunner Vossy said it also happened in 2009 with the Dragons (who lost to the 8th placed Eels - eventual grand finalists - on week 1 under the old system, before losing to the Broncos the week after) and in 1993 with the Bulldogs (who lost to both eventual grand finalists - the Dragons one week and then the Broncos the next - under the top 5 system)

Signings so far:

Props:
Sam Davies
James Lay (did not play last year due to a prolonged injury)
Sione Mafile’o
Riley Tofilau? (potential new signing, NZ U20s rep)

Hookers:
Bryn Gordon

Locks:
Cam Christie (unavailable for the season due to a thumb injury during Super Rugby)
Felix Kalapu
Jack Lee
Mahonri Ngakuru
Tom Savage (new signing from Moana Pasifika)

Loose Forwards:
Tristyn Cook
Du'Plessis Kirifi? (Rumoured, see NPC thread)
Tamarau McGahan
Jed Melvin
Karl Ruzich
Wallace Sititi (on ABs duty, currently injured)
Murphy Taramai? (Potential return)

Halfbacks:
Luke Donaldson? (Potential new signing, see NPC thread)
Bryn Hall? (Could become our newest centurion if he stays on)

First Fives:
Oscar Koller
Cam Howell
Patrick Pellegrini (new signing from Moana Pasifika)

Midfielders:
Tom Barham

Outside Backs:
Kade Banks
Sofai Maka
Mark Tele’a (his final season on NZ soil)

Losses:
Tane Edmed
Fine Inisi (Dragons RFC, Wales)
Moses Leo (Melbourne Storm, NRL)
Tevita Mafile'o (Bay of Plenty
Samuel Slade (Unknown)
Shaun Stevenson (Kubota Spears, Japan)
Karl Tu'inukuafe (Retired)

@Dan54 Might end up coming back to Harbour for next year's NPC, who knows?