Presidents Report 2024

Senior Rugby

Senior rugby saw a major growth this season with the inclusion of a second U21 side and a combined women’s side, with Kumeu, the MK Rangers. This took us to just under 300 registered senior players over 8 teams, the largest in the union for 2024.

Our Premier Two Side led the way by winning the competition, U21s lost their final trying to win it back-to-back. The premiers looked good all season but fell to Mahurangi in a home quarter final, but lifted themselves to bring home the plate in later weeks. U85s made it to the semi-finals but that was as far as they would go and our new team on the block, the MK Rangers picked up some impressive wins early on. Our second U21 side gave an opportunity to give some younger players game time and experience and they will be all the stronger for 2025 season. Our presidents grade team kept up their good work in supporting the club on a Saturday afternoon and our Senior B side kept those Auckland sides honest.

It is with great pleasure that we can reveal our Premier One coaching group for 2025

Head Coach                                          Matt Howling

Assistant Coaches                                Villi Ma’fu   Tani Funga   Aupiu Pritchard

Technical Advisor and Wellbeing       Rob Giteau

In the representative arena it was a proud moment to see two of our greats named in the All Blacks, Mark Tele’a and Wallace Sititi. All our representative players received acknowledgement at our senior prize-giving and there are too many to list here as there was nearly forty players involved. I would like to personally congratulate them all and thank them for their hard work and dedication over the past few years.

Thanks, especially to Greg Sneddon for his valued work in the senior space.

Junior Rugby

Junior Rugby was under new management this season, with Andrea Jenner taking the helm. Pulling a junior working committee together they got on with the task at hand and ran a very successful junior programme for the season. With a target of 400 junior players to register for the season, they were not far short, but they still d managed a growth in teams and numbers. Plans are in place to achieve further growth in 2025.

This season we also sent 100 junior club members and 100 supporting adults to Japan for their trip of a life time. The Kasuga Little Ruggers Club did an outstanding job in hosting us and taking the children into their homes and introducing them to their culture and way of life. Rugby was the prime focus and this was celebrated with seven exciting games. Massey winning five and Kasuga two.

A special thanks to Chris Aukino for the hours of work he put into this venture and making it viable for every child to travel for $1000 each. This involved fundraising $200,000, with $110,000 over 12 months.

We will host Kasuga in 2027 and return in 2030. 

Club

Money has been a little tighter this year in the grants arena. We only seem to be receiving 20% value of what is applied for. We are receiving enough to cover our medical needs along with rugby specific needs.

In saying this we have just received a grant from NZCT for $20,000 and $50,000 from TTCF. This allows us to keep up the much-needed maintenance on the building. This money is ear marked to replace the aluminium joinery around the changing rooms, putting a ranch slider in Capones Bar and replacing the doors to the service entry, office, and Capones Bar. Along with is a full repaint of our changing rooms, showers, and tunnel areas.

We have also managed to upgrade our women’s bathrooms and referees’ room with funding from North Harbour Rugby. This fund is specific to improving women’s facilities in clubs.

Our club office will undergo a refit during summer. The damaged carpet will be replaced, walls painted, lighting replaced, desks removed/replaced with a board room table. This will enable meetings to take place in a more corporate and warmer environment and provide a better working space for staff. Most of this is covered by the last insurance claim.

An insurance claim has been lodged due to a leaking pipe in the kitchen which has destroyed half the cabinets that will need replacing.

Once again thanks to Rhys Hogg for his persistence in applying for these grants and especially to TTCF and NZCT for their support.

Finance

Financially the club is in good stead. With great support from our loyal sponsors, commission from our kitchen sales, the bar running at 46% GP and the increased number of private bookings during the off season, we have a head start going into the 2025 season.

Over the next few months, we will be reviewing our strategic plan, out lining goals, and direction for the next five years. We will run an open workshop hoping to get a good cross section members to add input to take us forward. 

Life Member

It is with great delight that we have Eugene Bareman nominated for a life membership tonight. Id like to thank Gary Wilson and his committee for their nomination.

Thank You

A community club like ours does not survive without the generous support from sponsors and hard-working volunteers. Id like to take this opportunity to personally thank you all and welcome you all back on board for the 2025 season.

HARCOURTS NORWEST , ECB ENGINEERING,EASYMOVES, CODE, CLARKSONS , AQUA DYNAMICS

MAGNUM FILTERS , WRITE ON SIGNWRITERS, TRAVELHOLIC

Stuart Taylor

President

Massey Rugby Football and Sports Club

Article added: Friday 29 November 2024