It is high stakes for the final robin round of the WRFU Senior competition on Saturday.

With quarterfinals looming, we finally get to the top of the table clash between the unbeaten Forest 360 Marist Knights and 2023 runnersup Utiku Old Boys.

However, against expectations that game won’t be for the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield after Kelso Hunterville snatched it last weekend from Utiku and will now defend it in a winner-take all game with Bennett’s Taihape - in the battle to also secure a home quarterfinal.

If the Shield game is a draw, then Ali Arc Logistics Marist Celtic could still push their nose into the home quarterfinal equation, but they have a tough derby with both their Spriggens Park and points table neighbours Black Bull Liquor Pirates - each team wanting to move as far up as possible to avoid the Knights and Utiku for the first weekend of playoffs.

But outside of the locked-in Top 8, one battler club still has a worthy goal left for 2024, and that’s McCrea Scanning Counties.

With the possible exception of the dominant Knights, every other quarterfinal-bound team who either came to Macnab Domain or hosted Counties on their patch would tell you they left the field knowing they’d been in a battle.

The Kaiwhaiki club’s victories have been away over Border (30-12) and impressively at home last weekend with JJ Walters Asphalt Marton (53-0), meaning their season’s final game with Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau is a chance to clean sweep all their fellow lower table teams.

Not a bad goal to sign off the season, feels player-coach James Marshall.

“We’re in the rebuilding phase, we’re kind of growing right now,” he said.

“We’re just failing to finish some of those close games. Just another year together might make the difference.”

Although perhaps shy of a couple of impact players, overall roster size has been very good for the club - 38 registered squad members - and other than Duck Shooting Weekend there has been excellent turnout without the major injury concerns which blighted other teams.

Marshall would always delay naming his reserves until game day so the whole squad stayed motivated at training, given 4-5 would have to miss out.

“The numbers have been out the gate. There’s a buy-in to the team.

“I think what I’m enjoying about the club at the moment is we’re home grow, we haven’t gone fishing and the guys just want to be there.

“We’re finishing a far better team than we started.”

Marshall has been grateful for the arrival of experienced coach Andy Yarrall, who previously worked in Tasman Tanning Premier with the Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist forwards, allowing Marshall to get back onto the field.

Other stalwarts have been Matthew Horrocks and David Macnab, the latter having likely played over 300 games since 2009.

“He’s still one of our generally better try-scorers,” said Marshall.

Win, lose or draw, it will be a good trip home from the Country Club on Saturday evening – Counties being well backed not only by supporters but also their sponsors, as they’ll stop at Speedway Garage & The Cobb along the way.

“We’re a club that loves the bus trip.”

The Senior draw June 22, 1pm kickoffs unless noted (times subject to change):
Marton vs Border, Marton Park
Ruapehu vs Rātana, Rochfort Park
Kaierau vs Counties, Kaierau Country Club
Hunterville vs Taihape, Hunterville Domain
Pirates vs Marist Celtic, Spriggens Park
Utiku Old Boys vs Marist Knights, Memorial Park