One Blemish on Stingrays Season

Friday, September 30, 2016
One Blemish on Stingrays Season

They’re the 40 minutes Rod Ratu and his Counties Manukau Stingrays probably wish they had back.

In a season when they’ve otherwise dominated the NZRL Premiership, the defending champions have been haunted by one half of footy that gave their rivals renewed hope of toppling them off their crown.

Ahead 24-6 over Akarana Falcons at half-time two weeks ago, the Stingrays inexplicably dozed off to sleep and woke up a little later to find themselves on the wrong end of a 30-26 score-line.

This week, they face the same team at the same venue – Mt Smart Stadium – in the grand final, trying to prevent a repeat of that sleep-walking display.

“I think we were a little bit guilty of thinking we already had the game sewn up,” admits Counties Manukau coach Rod Ratu.

“We just clocked off and took things for granted in that second half, and frustration obviously set in. We got caught up trying to control things we couldn’t control, particularly the referees.”

Two incidents late in the game typified their ill-disciplined performance on the night. Falcons finally edged ahead with a Zae Wallace penalty, after Wallace had baited Stingrays veteran Roman Hifo into retaliation right in front of the posts.

Minutes later, goal-kicker Raymond Talimalie and Falcons centre Semisi Fotu were marched to the side-line for a scuffle near the Akarana goal-line.

“Since then, we’ve been trying to be clinical in our processes, and more aware of what we can control and what we can’t,” says Ratu. “We’ve tried to pay attention to detail and leaving nothing to chance.”

Having dispatched Canterbury Bulls in their season opener, the Stingrays rallied from their shocker against Akarana to bury Wellington Orcas in Porirua last week, their 82 points catapulting them to the top of table on differential.

Still, Ratu is wary of his opponents, who experience similar difficulties in transitioning from the demanding Fox Memorial club competition to representative duties. This season, Papakura Sea Eagles captured their first title and enjoyed very little respite before pulling on the Stingrays jersey.

“Our boys have been a bit battle–worn, particularly the Papakura boys,” notes Ratu. “Coming down off that final and then getting back up has been a challenge for a few of them.

“Recovery has definitely been a key to finding some form, but there has improvement every week.”

Falcons have taken a somewhat different approach to the issue, choosing to introduce new players as they become available. Their preliminary roster for the final is nine names different to the line-up that started the season.

In their favour, they have retained the same 6-7-9 spine combination of Henry Dunn, Wallace and Marcus Fraser throughout.

“With them, it’s all on the day,” observes Ratu. “The change of players doesn’t help in terms of finding consistency, but they have such a lot of talented players at their disposal that, no matter who they put out there, they’re a force to be reckoned with.”

ends

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