Rugby league: Agonising final stages of league final for Waitara coach

Will Johnston

Waitara Bears coach Shanin Tuuta-Hughes can recall the last 30 seconds of Taranaki’s rugby league final on Saturday.

Ahead 26-20 after a late converted try to Tieme Ransfield, the visitors needed to hold on against the Patea Warriors in front of a vocal crowd at the Patea Domain.

They did just that to be crowd champions of the quick-fire competition.

Tuuta-Hughes recalls what it was like after the restart following the try with seconds remaining.

“I’ll tell you what, it was the longest 30 seconds of my life,” he said. “This battle was fought to the very end and was determined in the final five minutes of the game.”

Waitara clinched the silverware after they came from third after the regular season and cruised through the semi-finals after defending champions Hawera defaulted. Patea were unbeaten heading into the final and were in their first final since the 1980s.

Tuuta-Hughes always knew it was going to be a close game, just like when the two teams played each other during the season.

“There was a lot of outside noise leading into the finals and it motivated us to shut that down.

“Nothing like winning and getting the result we did to prove we deserved it but by earning it.”

Right at kick off, Waitara’s Paddy O’Carroll-Haami set the tone with a crunching tackle on his opposite.

It was backed up by Caleb Fowell, who crossed twice for Waitara after some good foot work and taking the line on off some quick play-the-balls.

With one of the two tries converted, Waitara got out to a 10-0 lead inside 20 minutes.

The scores were locked up at 10-all when Patea bounced back with two tries.

With the pressure on, Tuuta-Hughes recalls his halftime conversation with his players.

“The halftime talk was about minimising the penalties, completing our sets and staying in the grind. I reminded the boys to think about how much we wanted this and who we want this for other than ourselves.”

The second half began just like the first. Waitara started off strongly, but Patea wasn’t making it easy. Eventually, debutants Tayne Clark and Pati Kwan scored before Patea equalled the scores for the second time.

It was neck-and-neck with both teams showing determined defence and desperate attack until Caleb Fowell converted Ransfield’s try with seconds to go.

Throughout the season, which has included 15 debutants, Tuuta-Hughes said leaders Brodie Lilley, Paul Faoagali and Cruz Rauner were important leaders to the team and brought different attributes to the squad.

“The collaboration of these three players lead our team throughout this season in that captaincy role.”

He said the season has been heavily supported by the player’s families, old boys and the community.

“With the backing of all these people, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this success,” he said.

Bell Block Marist Dragons claimed the U16 title beating Hawera 12-10 on Saturday. Marist were trailing 10-0 at the break.

Payton Tamatea and Kade Davis from Marist were the MVPs.