The winners of 2022!

Our FPC winners have been found!

Congratulations to Vic Subritzky-Nafatali for being better than me at picking winners. After nine weeks of competition, she had an unassailable lead, finishing with a total of 20.5 to my 19. It’s been a bit of fun trying to pick who would win and the margin but what I think it showed was just how unexpected results can be in a competition as short as this. Big improvements happen between game 3 and four as teams find their rhythm. Injuries, even minor ones, can end player’s seasons. Black Ferns duty completely rejigs your roster. And Wellington showed us you can look like relegation one week and then end up finding yourself in a semi final.

So it’s been a whirlwind as always but let’s review the winners and losers of this season.

WINNERS

• Intercept tries!

  Was it because our attacking line was so flat? Because we were pushing passes? Was it the speed of our defence line? Or all of the above? Whatever the reason, there was a massive uptick in intercept tries this season.

• Retiring Heroes

  Emma Jensen for Hawke’s Bay, going out on the Tui’s first championship win. Kendra Cocksedge and Steph Te Ohaere-Fox locking up a dominate Premiership victory for Canterbury. I’m not entirely sure it’s goodbye but the rumour is Renee Wickliffe and Les Elder have both hung up their boots for the Bay. The Volcanix had a stellar season to send them off, falling just short of playoffs.

  All of these wāhine have given so much to the game and led by example, right up until the last whistle. So thank you, can’t wait to see you pitchside!

• Mum’s in Rugby
  We had Charmaine Smith helping push the new normal for mums and bubs up in Northland and laying the challenge to the other unions in her post match speeches. Meanwhile Vania Wolfgramm was in the commentary box with baby Seth on her knee.

• Canterbury and the Hawke’s Bay Tui
  Canterbury, untouchable in the end and Hawke’s Bay delivering ABSOLUTE SCENES in Balclutha.

LOSERS

• Venue standards
  We had school benches in storage rooms, portaloos, tents and mud bogs all hosting these provincial representatives. Embarrassing, I thought we were past this already.

• Disrupted travel
  We had Wellington’s bus trip to Auckland to play Counties Manakau, Hawke’s Bay Tui’s bus trip to Northland and Otago Spirit flown to Wellington/Palmy and then bussing to Taranaki. Meanwhile I hear a NPC team complained about a 3 hour bus trip - GIVE ME STRENGTH!

• Armchair Experts

  Without TMOs it was painful to watch something clear as day be missed by the on field referees. It’s no longer sustainable for the competition’s credibility to not have this support on offer.

• Concussed players

  Another year without HIA assessment in the FPC :(

• Manawatū Cyclones
  Poor buggers head back to the Championship after finishing last in the Premiership. I just don’t think their performance this season deserves that. Perhaps we need to consider the introduction of a promotion/relegation match to secure your place in the top grade.

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCES

In the Championship this has to be Amelia Pasikala! She broke more tackles than Otago hearts this season with a storming performance in the midfield for the Tui. I am hopeful that this performance sees her scooped up into the Hurricanes Aupiki side. For now though, she’s been named in one of the Under 18 Māori sides (I know, how is she that young!!) taking part in the NZR development camps.

In the Premiership, it’s gotta be Martha Mataele! That woman was electric for Canterbury adding some flare to their more traditional brand of footy. I know she’s been bouncing around for a while but she was unmissable this season and it was a joy to watch her express herself.

Pheewww! I can’t believe we are done team. And more importantly, I can’t believe it’s now less than a month until the Rugby World Cup!

With you,

Alice