President's Musings
From the pen of Marist St Pats President, John Spillane...
As winter starts to bite, it was heartening to see so many of you brave the conditions at Rugby League Park to support the Red Machine on Saturday.
The Rugby News
Our Premier Women are the first team to contest a semi final, heading out to Petone to face the defending champions on Saturday at 11.30am. This is a huge achievement after a year on hiatus, come out and support our team!
Our Premier Men’s Team faced a young but determined opposition and even tougher conditions on Saturday, going down to OBU in a match played in brutally cold, wet and windy conditions. Our boys battled hard but unfortunately couldn't get over the line. It felt like a game that got away from us – but I am a glass half full guy, so I think we either “win” or we “learn” so hopefully there were some learnings to come out of it – especially around game management in extreme weather conditions.
Earlier in the day, our Premier 2 Men turned in another impressive performance, claiming a memorable victory over a side that put 50 points on them just last year. This win was even more remarkable given the team had two late withdrawals from the squad on Saturday morning - leaving a lopsided bench of six forwards and just one back. Guts, grit, and determination carried the day, and this result has them sitting third on the table, but just a breath away from top-ranked Petone – who have only dropped one game this season which was against our lads on our Old Timers Day.
And our Colts team also continued their winning ways and are really starting to build something special as the season progresses. They’re working hard on the field, and their growth is clear every week. We’re all very proud of what they’re putting together.
And, in Club News
Sunday saw our annual Club Mass – a truly beautiful occasion. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended, and especially to the resident Samoan choir whose stunning voices lifted the Mass into something truly memorable. This is an important annual event, and I want to thank Fr Bill Warwick and John Holden for their efforts in making it so relevant to MSP.
I’m also delighted to share that our new reserves benches are now in place and ready for action. These benches will provide much needed shelter for the reserves and officials – and the timing of these benches couldn’t be better – with the weather turning and winter taking a grip. A huge thank you to all our generous reserve bench sponsors, especially T&T Landfills, Jennian Homes, the Lion Foundation and St Pat’s College Old Boys Association, for making this happen.
Marist St Pats is was pleased to be a contributor to the St Patrick's College Artificial Turf project and be represented at the recent SPC Foundation function where we share so many staunch supporters.
$100 Raffle Draw – This Thursday!
Don’t forget — our $100 Raffle Draw is happening this Thursday evening at the clubrooms. A massive thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket. This fundraiser plays a crucial role in keeping the club running, and your support is deeply appreciated. Best of luck to all our ticket holders!
This Saturday – Let’s Pack Evans Bay Park and the clubrooms!
After our Women's semi final, we’ve got a huge game ahead this Saturday afternoon at Evans Bay Park as we take on Hutt Old Boys Marist. These games are never short on intensity, and your support from the sideline really lifts our players. So layer up, bring your voice, and let’s get behind the team!
And win, lose or draw, EVERYONE is warmly invited back to the clubrooms afterwards.
Please join us in the clubrooms after the matches to catch up with old mates, enjoy our new heaters (cheers Brendan), and some laughs, and catch the semifinal on the big screen. It’s a great way to keep our club spirit strong and spend time with the people who make this place what it is.
I really do hope to see you there – and go well this week!
MSP Supporters
Shamrock Club
