Drastic shortage of players in Kaiapoi rugby league club

Press, 31 March 1981, Page 32

Drastic shortage of players in Kaiapoi rugby league club

By

KAY CAIRNS

One of Canterbury’s premier rugby league clubs, Kaiapoi, is suffering from a critical shortage of players. After a friendly match with Parklands at the week-end, Kaiapoi—already beaten by a premier B club, Shirley, this season—was reduced to a mere 13 players in its premier squad.

But there is an- even deep er problem, according to the club’s senior vice-president, Mr Les Dryden. “Our senior firsts are so depleted, I can’t see us fielding a team, and we’ll be lucky to have senior thirds, too, with only five at the last practice,’’ said Mr Dryden yesterday. “Out of them, we’ll probably look at fielding a senior seconds, but those players would include some getting towards retirement, so we would have no real back-up for the premiers, except from the 19years squad.” Mr Dryden said, however, that this would not be a desirable situation. “We would prefer not to have to touch the 19s, who would form the nucleus of the premiers next year.” The North Canterbury club is strong in all respects except a depth of players, he said. “The club is doing very well financially, our upstairs lounge has just been renovated, the ground is the best in Canterbury at present, and the team spirit is very, very good. “Our premiers, those we have, are physically in very good condition with Bob Irvine’s training — not much speed, but fit.

“In fact, we’ve got everything in the club but players. We have not had a single reply to our advertisements for players, but there must be some around.” Mr Dryden claimed that the Papanui area (where both Papanui and MaristWestern Suburbs have their headquarters) was “over-in-dulged in players; I can’t see them all getting in teams. We lost three or four players to Papanui this season, and they must have replaced someone,” said Mr Dryden. He said Kaiapoi already had three. Papanui 19-year-old players on a “loan transfer” from that strong club, and agreed he would like to see a similar arrangement with open grade players. “If some of these stronger clubs could show a co-oper-ative spirit by way of lending us players, we would certainly not be looking to impose any restrictions on their return, no transfer fees, no matter what selections they may achieve.” Mr Dryden said his club offered match incentives and travel assistance for players not living in Kaiapoi, but unless players appeared soon, the club was in trouble. “The premier position is getting to a critical

[Stage, where it is hard to see us fielding a team. For the first game, we may have just one reserve.” Kaiapoi lost eight premier players to other clubs in the off-season — four of them, including his three sons, going with the former coach, Randal Turton, to Shirley. A number of the others have gone overseas, said Mr Dryden. Then there is the latest injury count, with the handful of remaining experienced players the worst affected. Craig Cox nearly lost a finger after suffering badly torn tendons, while Kelvin Kennett, the club’s first schoolboy Kiwi, suffered cracked ribs in the Parklands match. The third injury in that game was to Mike Barron with pinched nerves in the neck, while the reliable Jack Clarke is bothered by an Achilles tendon injury. Kaiapoi’s premier coach, Mark Fuller, and the manager, Len Rolleston, are certainly not the only worried men. The Canterbury Rugby League’s board of control is sure to be concerned at the premier and reserve strength of one of its' nine leading clubs.