Horowhenua StarLevin Wanderers are Manawatū Rugby League competition champions for the second time in three years after beating Linton Army 18-8 in the grand final at CET Arena, Palmerston North, last Sunday.
Linton Army are renowned for their fitness, but in heavy conditions – it didn’t stop raining for the duration of the match – the Wanderers forwards won the day.
Hopa Edwards scores the first of his two tries.
On the back of solid hit-ups and tackle set completions they slowly wore Linton down, and there was no lack of support for Wanderers in the crowd either.
Wanderers had beaten Kia Ora in a thrilling semi-final 26-24 in extra time a week earlier to make the final, and when they played Linton Army earlier in the season they lost 44-32.
There was some bad luck early on for hooker Zealand Murray who broke his wrist inside the first 10 minutes, thrusting winger and man-of-the-match Ilisoni Vonomatairatu into the fray.
Wanderers tries were scored by Junior Sione on the back of a wipers kick from Arana Murphy, and Hopa Edwards who bagged two, his last one a match-winner after some magic from Himiona Henare.
Himoana took on the line and broke through before delivering a no-look pass off the deck that found Hopa’s waiting arms.
With Arana adding two conversions and a penalty it was 18-4 with 10 minutes to play, a late try to Linton the final play.
Two of the Wanderers players, Sheen Lomax and Ethan Keith, have shared in the co-coaching duties from the front row this season.
Sheen had been sidelined since round 3 with a broken thumb, which healed just in time for his return for the final.
The team included some players from rival rugby clubs who had finished their season and relished the opportunity to play some league.
The curtain-raiser was won by Raukawa women, also beating Linton.
Wanderers won their first Manawatū Rugby League title in 2023, just a few years after Ethan and Sonny Whakarau recruited a team and entered the competition, so to add another title was a real boost for rugby league in Horowhenua.
It is another chapter to club rugby league history in the region and yet another incarnation when you consider successful clubs from the past, such as Levin Eels, Levin Knights, Levin Lions, Levin Wolves and Taitoko Warriors, not to mention Foxton Rebels further north, and Whiti Te Rā to the south, who have been the dominant force in the Wellington competition for the past decade.
Ethan says as the league season starts after club rugby finishes it gives players an opportunity to play both codes, and that’s healthy.
“It just means they don’t have to choose,” he says.
He says equally important as winning a title is seeing the growth of junior rugby league, which he says is vital for the future of the game.
“You have to put focus on juniors and families and have that culture embedded if you want to grow.”
The winning Wanderers team was: Ethan Keith, Brodie Huthnance, Crychton Comp, Himiona Henare, Hopa Edwards, Ilisoni Vonomatairatu, Jaden Hemi, Jaden Taniwha, Jayden Angove, Junior Sione, Kagyn Taunoa, Ngatoki Toru, Raana Tatana, Sheen Lomax, Zealand Murray, Anton Kerehi, Aaron Taiapa, Arana Murphy, Shelton Onesemo, Kane Mahan, James Woodmass, Keelan Ng, and Xodus Purewa.
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