Positive Messages Shared at Tournament Awards
Positive Messages Shared at Tournament
Awards
Auckland, New Zealand September 5, 2013 – After four tough days of competition, the Awards evening is a chance for the players to celebrate just some of the successes of their peers, along with the contributions of the match officials, coaches, managers and trainers. Now an integral part of the NZRL National Secondary Schools tournament, it is held following the semi finals on Thursday to accommodate the teams who have to travel on Friday.
This year saw the addition of an award recognising the contribution Haka make to the tournament, with three schools invited to perform theirs on the night. A representative from the school spoke about how their Haka and what it meant to them, then they performed and were then judged by a team of experienced performers lead by Donna Grant, of Manaakitanga Aotearoa Trust and a member of the Warriors Board. The finalists were Southern Cross Campus, Tokoroa High School and the winner Rotorua Boys High School.
Speakers during the evening included Mayor of Auckland Len Brown, Vic Tamati from It’s Not OK!, Warriors players Ben Henry and Glen Fishiiahi, Dain Guttenbeil and Tony Iro from the NZRL and Wallace Haumaha from NZ Police.
All the speakers focused on a common theme, asking the players to take what they were learning in their roles as team members and players and applying this to their lives. Key words and phrases used by many of the speakers included discipline, courage, respect, leadership, making good choices, building good relationships with their team mates, visitors from the other schools, and their wider community. Mt Albert Grammar captain Nathaniel Roache put it most succinctly when he said “Good players make good people and good people better players” which earnt him applause from the assembled group.
Ben Henry and Glen Fisiiahi both stressed the importance of hard work, reminding the players to perform at their best at all times as they never knew who might be watching. Tony Iro spoke about his dreams for league in NZ, saying that within a few years we should be the strongest league country in the world, and they could be a part of it.
Winners of the 2013 NZRL National
Secondary Schools Awards were:
It's Not Okay
Fairplay Award Developing Grade: Kauri Harema,
Whangarei
It's Not Okay Fairplay Award Premier
Grade: Taylor Waenga, Kaitaia College
Match
Official Developing Grade: Chris McMillan,
Auckland
Match Official Premiership Grade: Kena
Waikai, Waikato
Trainer of the Tournament: Phil
Kingi, Kelston
Manager of the Tournament: Billy Maea, Tokoroa
Coach of the Tournament: Mark Rice, St Paul's
National Secondary Schools Merit Team
(1 - 17)
1. Bradley Abbey, St Paul's
College
2. Latu Vaeno, Rotorua Boys' High
School
3. Brody Lam, Mt Albert
Grammar
4. John Tapueluelu, Mt Albert
Grammar
5. Matthew Faitotoa, Kelston Boys' High
School
6. Irae Simone, Mt Albert
Grammar
7. Zion Ioka, Kelston Boys' High
School
8. Jonah Sofele, St Paul's
College
9. Semisi Havili, St Paul's
College
10. Seremaia Sovea, Kelston Boys' High
School
11. Faitotoa Faitotoa, Kelston Boys' High
School
12. Jazz Tevaga, Papakura High
School
13. Joseph Price, Otahuhu
College
14. Nathaniel Roache, Mt Albert
Grammar
15. Joseph Manu, Tokoroa High
School
16. Connor Purcell, Mt Albert
Grammar
17. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Rotorua Boys'
High School
NZRL Emerging Talent Award: Matthew
Faitotoa, Kelston Boys HS
Vodafone Warriors Best
Forward Award: Semisi Havili, St Paul's
Vodafone
Warriors Best Back Award: Irae Simone, Mt Albert
Grammar
Best Cultural Salute: Rotorua Boys High
School
Watties MVP award: to be named after the
Finals on Friday
NZRL More Than Just a Game Award:
Southland Boys High
School
ends