The wider Steelform Whanganui training group had their first get-together at Cooks Gardens on Monday night as they prepare for what will be a massive representative season.

As well as the task of ending South Canterbury’s dominance of the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship, after coming runnerup to them in consecutive Meads Cup finals, Whanganui will also be stepping into the Cantabrians shoes on July 27 th at Napier’s McLean Park.

With the repeat-Meads Cup winners unable to afford the mounting costs of travel, they have withdrawn from their mandatory Ranfurly Shield challenge with Hawke’s Bay, allowing Whanganui to step forward for their first shot at the Log of Wood since August 2018 against Taranaki in Hawera.

Interestingly, of the 60 players invited to train on Monday by coach Jason Hamlin, eleven of them were in the last Whanganui team to play at McLean Park – an entertaining match against Poverty Bay in the 2020 ‘Covid’ season which served as curtain-raiser to Hawke’s Bay’s Shield defence against Manawatu.

The Magpies lost the Shield to the dominant Wellington team two years later, but regained it at Sky
Stadium in October 2023.

The Shield challenge will come early in Whanganui’s preseason, as the Tasman Tanning Premier grand final will be two weekends beforehand on July 13 th at Cooks Gardens.

There are 19 survivors named in the wider squad from last year’s Heartland campaign, although several others have been part of previous representative seasons.

The 2024 draw could be challenging, as first up they will play South Canterbury at home at Cooks Gardens, trying to become to first side to end their historic Heartland streak – 31 consecutive games dating back to 2019.

The Cantabrians were recognised with the National Team of the Year prize at the 2023 NZR Awards in December – another first for a Heartland union.

Should Whanganui end the streak or suffer a first up loss, they will also have to ready themselves for a tough middle of September with back-to-back road games against now-perennial Meads Cup semifinalists Thames Valley followed by their sole South Island trip to meet Mid Canterbury in Ashburton.

They will then have potential back-to-back defences of the Bruce Steel Memorial Cup against neighbours Wairarapa Bush and Horowhenua-Kapiti, before looking to regain the Sir Colin Meads Memorial Trophy from King Country after another shock loss in Taumarunui last August.

The wider squad is:

Forwards: Gabriel Hakaraia (Taihape), Raymond Salu (Kaierau), Ranato Tikoisolomone (Border), Kamipeli Latu (Border), Tai Pulemagafa (Kaierau), Ross McDonald (Border), Kereti Tamou (Ratana), Hoani Woodhead (Taihape), James Coogan (Utiku), Alesana Tofa (Marist), Joe Edwards (Kaierau), Ratu Vudiniabola (Kaierau), Brendan Hemana (Border), Peter-Travis Hay-Horton (Taihape), Josh Lane (Kaierau), Matt Ashworth (Kaierau), Ngapuke Patea (Border), Ben O’Leary (Marist), Keane Metekingi (Border), Mark Coogan (Utiku), Ben Waiwai (Ruapehu), Josefa Namosimalua (Border), Samu Kubunavanua (Marist), Luke Whale (Taihape), Connor O’Leary (Marist), Jamie Hughes (Ratana), Angus Middleton (Border), Neo Tichbon (Kaierau), Jayden Garland-Lower (Marist), Beau Walker (Taihape), Douglas Horrocks (Kaierau), Tawhiwhi Karaitiana (Ratana), Joe Abernethy (Utiku),
Tauapai Junior (Marton).

Backs: Lindsay Horrocks (Border), Eben Classen (Kaierau), Kahl Elers-Green (Taihape), Dakuitoga Natuata (Marton), Daniel Kauika (Marist), Petera Patea-Koro (Ratana), Dane Whale (Marton), Ethan Robinson (Kaierau), Tyrone Albert (Border), Chad Whale (Taihape), Brooklyn Herewini (Ratana), Alekesio Vakarorogo (Border), Timoci Seruwalu (Border), Silio Waqalevu (Border), Faleseu Tauailoto (Marton), Mitai Hemi (Ratana), Jamie Robertson (Marist), Cyrus Tasi (Taihape), Apolosi Tanoa (Kaierau), Josaia Bogileka (Marist), Harry Symes (Border), Rusiata Lalanabaravi (Kaierau), Tim Goodwin (Marton), Peceli Malanicagi (Kaierau), Tyler Rogers-Holden (Taihape), Sheldon Pakinga (Kaierau).

The 2024 Heartland draw is:
August 17: Whanganui vs South Canterbury, Cooks Gardens.
August 24: Poverty Bay vs Whanganui, TBC
August 31: Whanganui vs Buller, Cooks Gardens
September 7: Thames Valley vs Whanganui, Rhodes Park
September 14: Mid Canterbury vs Whanganui, Ashburton Showgrounds
September 21: Whanganui vs Wairarapa-Bush, Cooks Gardens
September 28: Horowhenua-Kapiti vs Whanganui, Levin Domain
October 5: Whanganui vs King Country, Cooks Gardens