The Star: August 23, 2018

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday August 23 2018 31
PAGE 33
•Peter Fulton’s bid for Canterbury cricket coach
•Findlater, One-eyed Cantab
the local sports front
Pat Smith Trophy – Keas success in threes
• By Gordon Findlater
THE WORD brotherhood is
commonly used to describe the
culture inside sport teams with
a strong bond.
The Linwood Keas have taken
a literal approach to their brotherhood
this season. The premier
squad features two sets of three
brothers.
For Paul, Matthew and Erwin
Sauni, Sunday’s final against
the Hornby Panthers won’t be
new – they’ve won the big prize
together previously.
However, this year they are
joined by Thoren, Jiordan and
Domanyc Fidow-Kele. As if
going for a premiership title
with one set of a three brothers
wasn’t rare enough.
The Fidow-Keles come from a
league and union background.
Their father Tala Kele propped
for Canterbury and Marist
Albion in the 1980s and 1990s.
They grew up playing for Marist
before switching to league in
their teens.
Thoren and Jiordan have
played plenty of 13 and 15-
man code games together, but
it wasn’t until this year that
18-year-old Domanyc completed
the trio.
“Growing up watching them
play, I’ve always wanted to play
Harewood, Carlton-Redcliffs chase hockey titles
• By Jacob Page
THE HAREWOOD men and
Carlton-Redcliffs women will
be looking to add Canterbury
premier hockey titles to their
resumes on Saturday.
Both teams have been dominant
top qualifiers for their
respective finals.
Harewood will take on Marist
BROTHERHOOD: Paul, Erwin and Matthew Sauni with
Domanyc, Thoren and Jiordan Fidow-Kele. They are
literally part of the family culture at the Linwood Keas.
alongside them. I finally got
the opportunity this year, I was
pretty proud to run out with
them,” said Domanyc.
For the Saunis, there is also
that feeling of pride with them
now in their third season together
at the Keas.
“It’s just a good feeling to
make it here with my brothers.
We grew up together and it’s
good to still be together playing
what we love,” said Matthew.
Both sets of brothers admit
they aren’t afraid to call each
other out when criticism is due.
in the final, while Carlton-
Redcliffs will meet Harewood in
their decider.
The two top men’s sides have
met twice this season with
Marist winning 5-3 in June after
Harewood took out the first
encounter 4-3 in April.
Harewood have been the
dominant force in men’s hockey,
winning the President’s Shield
Perhaps it has even helped them
to achieve what they have in the
sport.
“If it wasn’t for them, I
wouldn’t have made it this far.
I’ve got to give credit to them
for the way they raised me and
roughed me up,” said Erwin.
The Fidow-Keles and Saunis
say it’s not just their bond that
has created the team’s family
vibe. “This whole club itself is
really family-orientated. A lot of
the boys have their kids playing
in the junior grade. I’m just glad
to be a part of it,” said Jiordan.
for topping the round-robin
section five years in a row.
Harewood coach Matt Ling
said both teams are ruthless
at penalty corner time which
had contributed to some high
scoring matches. He said striker
Andrew Sherratt and midfielder
Ryan Cocking will be key to the
victory.
Marist look to be peaking at
• By Jacob Page
THE LINWOOD Keas are
aiming to become the first team
since Eastern Suburbs in 1981
to win three consecutive grandfinals.
The Keas will go in to Sunday’s
Pat Smith Trophy final against
the Hornby Panthers at Rugby
League Park as favourites on
the verge of completing an
undefeated season.
Eastern achieved the threepeat
in 1981 after Papanui
dominated the 1970s by winning
seven titles in eight years
between 1971 and 1978.
Hornby last won the title in
2013.
The Keas blitzed the Northern
Bulldogs a fortnight ago to gwo
straight through to the final.
The Panthers have had to do
it the hard way, winning their
sudden-death semi-final 50-6 a
fortnight ago, before travelling
to Kaiapoi to beat the Bulldogs
16-6.
Panthers coach Jed Lawrie said
his team would not be overcome
by the occasion this time around
and believed they were playing
their best rugby league of the
season.
“I think we had our best
attacking game of the season
against Halswell and our best
the right time, with midfielder
and former Timaru product
Andrew Ross leading the way in
both attack and defence. After
four seasons in the premier
league it will be their first final.
Marist coach Josh Kumbaroff
said the team know they can
beat the defending champions,
having taken the Challenge
Shield off them in their June
defensive effort against the
Bulldogs,” Lawrie said.
He said James Baxendale’s
versatility would be crucial,
while in form winger Charlie
Charlie would be an attacking
threat.
“We are a mature team this
year,” Lawrie said. “In previous
years, some of the younger
guys have looked up to the
experienced heads in the team,
but this year we are all on the
same level.”
The Keas have won both
encounters so far this year, 20-12
in round one and a 23-16 victory
in round eight.
The Keas have plenty of quality
across the park. Play-maker
Daniel Hartley is often the
provider for attacking weapons
like winger Ben Ilalio and frontrower
Jiordan Fidow-Kele who
each scored hat-tricks against the
Hornets in their previous game.
•The grand-final kicks off
at 3pm after the women’s
final between the Papanui
Tigers and Linwood Keas
at 1pm. Entry is $10 for
adults with children
under-16 free.
•The Celebration Lions
and Aranui Eagles will
contest the Gore Cup at
Wainoni Park on Saturday
(1pm).
victory. “I’m picking there will
be a lot of the match played in
the mid-field because both team
have very good attack units,” he
said.
Carlton-Redcliffs will go
into their final as favourites
after taking out the roundrobin
competition in dominant
fashion. They lost just one of 12
games during the round-robin.