Addington’s moment of rugby league truth

Press, 19 August 1981, Page 30

Addington’s moment of rugby league truth

By

JOHN COFFEY

Addington’s rugby league trophy cabinet’ has hardly been overflowing in recent years, but the club’s premier squad might well rectify that matter at the show Grounds this evening. If Addington beats Eastern Suburbs under the floodlights it will move into an unassailable position at the top of the N.Z.I.G. premiership points table and gain possession of the Massetti Cup. '.Once the symbol of championship supremacy, the cup was relegated in 1967 when the present grand final format was introduced. Addington was the winner that year and shared it with Papanui the next season.

But Addington’s dedicated band of supporters have had a much longer wait to celebrate championship success. Its first triumph was in 1923, five more followed between 1929 and 1939, but the top prize has eluded it since 1944. Victory over Eastern this evening would greatly ease the mind of the Addington player-coach, Grant Findlay. The most important factor, in Findlay’s opinion, is to qualify for the play-offs among the first two and participate in the major semi-final on September 6. Such are the variables of the last few rounds that scoring percentages might decide the order of the championship contenders. Addington is quite well nlaced from that aspect, but

all of its rivals, Eastern (three), Sydenham (two) and Linwood (three), have more matches remaining. Findlay has no doubt that Eastern is the biggest threat, even though Addington’s premiership losses have been to Halswell, Linwood and Papanui. Addington just nudged out Eastern, 10-9, in the first round, after Eastern had eliminated it from the pre-season tournament by 145.

“Eastern is definitely the toughest team to beat—l would be more confident if we were lining up against Linwood or Sydenham,” Findlay said. “But the main purpose is to make the top two and have the chance of a straight run to the grand final.

“Everyone forgets who wins the premiership. They just remember who wins the grand final,” Findlay said.

“The last few weeks have been the hardest from a coaching point of view. We have been within touch of clinching the premiership, but few of the players have been there before and they are under pressure,” he said. Findlay, of course, is an exception. He was almost a permanent figure in grand finals in the 19705: reserve tor Papanui when it succeeded in 1971, in. the losing Marist-Western Suburbs

sides of 1972 and 1973, a recipient of winner’s medals with Papanui in 1976 and 1977, and captain-coach of the victorious , Eastern Suburbs team in 1979.

Only Rodney Walker, who enjoyed an amazing seven wins and one loss with Papanui, has a more illustrious record. Findlay’s feat of appearing in grand finals with three different clubs is already unmatched: Addington could be the fourth.

Addington began the season with plenty of hope and promise of improving on its equal fifth of 1980. It had a generous sponsor, the Acme Metal and Drum Company, and had offset summer losses by recruiting Peter Klink, Danny Millward, Stu Wells and Jack Milford. Blair Corkran was to join from sydenham at the start of the premiership.

All have made notable contributions. Corkran is easily the leading goal-kicker in the grade; Wells and Millward have presented a sturdy front-line as Findlay’s props; Milford switched from the centres to second-row with such flair that he earned provincial selection; and Klink’s incisiveness has been a decisive asset in several close encounters. Fears that Klink, who has been in New Zealand on . a three-year training course,

and Milford would be lost before the championship series started have been discounted.

Klink’s employers in Papua-New Guinea are expected to agree to a later departure, and Milford’s transfer tb Papakura with the New Zealand Army does not take effect until late next month.

The very few injuries suffered by Addington has enabled Findlay to retain a basic squad of 17 players throughout the season, and he. is not concerned that the team has no more games before the semi-finals.

But Eastern will not easily relinquish the Massetti Cup that it shared with Marist last year and Papanui in 1979. It alone can still head off Addington—by beating Addington tonight and Hornby and Halswell over the next , two week-ends.