panui

Big Nathan

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:39:57 +1000

After going through last years photos taken at the tournament, I stopped at this one. A thought occurred that if Nathan plays for Souths this year he will have played for every team in the tournament.

Also, (for the benefit of the other three sides competing in the tournament) I wanted to note that Norths has provided introductions of players to Easts. We had information regarding a young lad all the way from Perth, signed to the Roosters on a three year deal. A couple of quick phone calls around the traps and Dennis is going to watch La Perouse this Sunday. For a centre Curtis Rona from Taranaki looks closer to a lock - he’s a big lump of a lad.

Curtis was saying that Sam Perrots sister is teaching all the boys reo - fantastic. Anyway don’t say that we don’t give anything away.

The last meeting for NSWMRL went pretty smoothly with a couple of things on the agenda it was encouraging to hear operational details for the tournament being ironed out at this stage rather than a couple of days prior to the event. It just goes to show the level of organization and work that has taken place since the tournament started some years ago.

2010

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 15:52:56 +1000

It’s agony and ecstasy at the moment for all conquering Willie Bishop his expectant wife and their whanau from Aotearoa. Willie’s Mum and Dad flew over to share with Willie and his lovely partner, the arrival of Baby Bishop due 08 july, 2010. Yes tomorrow ! !

Only with all the excitement Willies Dad suffered a stroke. Thankfully he’s ok and his condition is stable and recovering. The Berryman whanau have come to the rescue and have been able to supply a whare and shelter for the brothers and sisters that have flown over for support.

The whanau fly back on Friday but Mum will be staying beside Dad to help in the recovery process. We’re searching around to find a suitable place for her to rest up after her long day of caring for Mr. Bishop senior.

We’ll keep you updated. NORTHS OUT

Who won?

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:52:20 +1100

Well it is now a week since the NSWMRL tournament and we think Norths was the overall winner, but we are still waiting on the official score of the final.

While we are on the subject, there are a few other issues that should be pointed out.

Norths worked very diligently to get our three coaches to the grounds on time - St. Marys is a long way from Manly. We did make it, only to be made to wait for a kaikaranga and then watch the powhiri go ahead without us anyway. Didn’t Norths win last year? Why were we not invited to take part in the powhiri?

During the game the scoreboard changed without there being points scored on the field. At this time I approached the officials to protest regarding the score (as did Wests, imagine thinking your team is only one penalty away from a draw) but was told to go away - GO AWAY?

Some seven or eight years ago there was a meeting in Wi Wharekua’s garage to powhiri the New Zealand Maori League Sevens team, which coincided shortly thereafter with the registration of New South Wales Maori Rugby League and our annual E Nga Hau E Wha Tournament as it was known then. Eddie Brown continually reminds us (and quite rightly so) that the tournament was his concept, let’s hope someone has spoken to him about using or changing the name. That year the tournament was going to be moved to Brookvale Oval but Peter Peters from Manly Sea Eagles spoke with the honesty of a common rat and it was clear that he had not the slightest intention of supporting our concept. Anyway, back to Forestville Oval we went for another year. After the event at Forestville the potential and demand for growth for this tournament was plainly obvious, and with the support of the CFMEU became the event that it is today.

In six years Norths has been successful both on and off the field. We have been involved in the final more times than not, and have now won the haka and league together twice.

Did we poach the best kapa haka members to win the haka? Of course not, our management team sourced the best kaiako for this task. Our kaiako wrote the best haka and with the support of our roopu (Te Papa Wawata) trained our players in this haka.

Similarly in league, our management team sourced the best coach for the task. Together with our coach our management then sourced the best players for the task and trained them to win the game.

99% of Norths activities are documented in some form or another (email, receipt, online, memo, video, photo). Our management team is then able to use that information to improve upon our past performances. This we have done continually and the results speak for themselves.

My implementation of the first NSWMRL online initiative was five years ago in the form of a small notice on Maori in Oz (then Bebo, then Facebook) - rather than support the initiative, NSWMRL has set up competing sites – with less success and without thanks or consultation I should add.

The tournament needs to grow, and it needs to get better every year so that it will hold the interest of our people. I would like to say this to the NSWMRL: unless there is another agenda, hear and listen to the protests, answer the emails, and provide public feedback, that’s how the tournament will improve. Professional management initiatives will bring about growth and a general wider public participation.

It is interesting to see those that are hell bent of travelling to the Gold Coast, and I ask myself (1) are they going to support their own kaupapa, and (2) how long have those people truly given to NSWMRL?

Apparently Norths won the tournament this year, but, one week later we are still waiting for the official results.

- Brent Reihana

Steve Mathews - Footballer, father, friend and all round good fulla.

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 21:18:57 +1000

Born and bred in Kaitaia Stevie Mats (as he is known to his wide circle of mates) attended Kaitaia Primary before heading to the bright lights of Auckland and entering the hallowed halls of Hato Petra Maori Boys College (recently become a co-ed school much to the disappointment of Stevie).
Time spent between parents meant a shift between Marist and Mt. Albert clubs in his junior playing years. But in 1996 the Auckland Warriors (now New Zealand Warriors) offered Stevie a scholarship for Manukau Tech to undertake a sports and recreation qualification. This pathway would see him progress into representative status.
No stranger to the social life saw him a frequent visitor at some of Auckland’s nitespots where young men and women engaged socially into the small hours.
After a wake up call in 1998 Stevie was called into the New Zealand Maori side under Cameron Bell and remained there until 2005. Alongside this he was played in the Auckland representative team until 2000. It was during this time that he first came to Sydney.
Stevie recalls his introduction to Sydney travelling as part of the New Zealand Maori squad, “When I first came to Sydney with the New Zealand Maori Nine aside team, we stayed with Wi Wharekura at Reservoir (his lodgings were on Reservoir St, Surrey Hills) for a week and then after returning to Auckland, came straight back to Sydney. Didn’t tell anyone, not my friends or family just left”. Football to Stevie in Sydney was on a different level; the training, the organization, the professionalism in fact the whole game.
There was always something happening at Reservoir, in Stevie’s words “never a dull moment – we were always pulling pranks on each other and Ripper (Piripi Ranga) would always fall for it…” Stevie refers to the age-old gag of giving a teammate a bogus training time or location while the others would sit at home and play video games.
There were also stints at reserve grade with North Sydney Bears in 2003 and West Tigers in 2004. Some of those games were with Ripper, Billy Ngawini and Willie Bishop.
Stevie spoke about is biggest influences, “ currently in my life it would be author and motivational speaker Glen Gerreyn…” who also attends Christian City Church with Stevie, “in my past it would be my Grandfather alongside Muhamid Ali whose quote immediately springs to mind: "The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights. ... “
As he speaks Stevie has one eye on his son, 7-month-old Xavier. He is concerned about some sharp object that Xavier might get his hands on. Stevie has two other children Zion (10) and Cleo (6).
For the last six years Norths has been another home for Stevie and like the core of the players in the team, he enjoys the team environment. “I’d never stop being involved with football and would really love to start giving something back to the game that has given me so much” says Stevie who takes up a role as coach of Manly Cove’s under 19s and has further aspirations in that field.
It seems football has bought him along way, but from the resolve that he shows, there is much more to come from Steve Mathews - Footballer, father, friend and all round good fulla.

Julie Huriata O'Grady 6/5/59 - 13/8/09

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:05:25 +1000

Haere atu ra e hine e, ki te paepae o Matariki, o Rehua, haere haere haere atu ra e hine e.

E mihi atu ki Julie Huriata Ogle.

Norths Maori Rugby League are deeply saddened with the passing of one of our beloved ringawera on Thursday the 13th of August.

Julie was snatched from us far too early in her years by the scourge of cancer. Due to Julie’s passing Norths will be doing some very special things at this years NSW Maori Rugby League Tournament in her memory.

Julie was an integral part of our operations and will be sorely missed. She is survived by her three beautiful and brave children Jay, Luke and Rosie whom we hope will all be able to join us on the day of the tournament.

The effect that Julie had upon her work colleagues, friends and family is lifelong and can be summed up by the Manly Council opening up the Council Chambers for the wake (the first time ever for a private function), the Mayor flying back from official business in Townsville to attend proceedings and this poem penned to her and in her honour.

Friendship Poem from Manly Council

Dear Julie,

I’d like to be the kind of frIend that you have been to me
I’d like to be the help that you were glad to be
I’d like to be means as much to you each minute of the day
As you have meant, dear friend of mine along the way
I’d like to do the big things and the splendid things for you
To brush the grey out from your skies and leave them only blue
I’d like to say the kind of things that I so often heard
And feel that I could rouse your soul the way that mine you stirred
I’d like to give you back the joy that you have given to me
Yet, that were wishing you need, I’d hope would never be
I’d like to make you feel as rich as we who travel on
Undaunted in the darkest hours with you to lean upon
I’m wishing at this very time that I could repay
A portion of the gladness that you have strewn our way
And could I have one wish this day
This only would it be
i’d like to be the kind of friend that you have been to me

Farewell Julie and bless you always from your many friends at Manly Council