Auckland Rugby League Annual Awards Dinner

E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi o te motu e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou.  Kia ora tātou katoa.  Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, warm greetings to you all.

I specifically acknowledge: Cameron McGregor, Chairman of the Auckland Rugby League Board of Directors; Retired Judge Trevor Maxwell, Scott Carter, and Jim Doyle, President, Chairman and Chief Executive respectively of New Zealand Rugby League; Mr David Shearer, Leader of the Opposition and your colleagues Hon Phil Goff and Ross Robertson; Wayne Scurrah, Chief Executive of the Warriors; and Sir Peter Leitch, the Maddest Rugby League supporter - tēnā koutou katoa.

It is a great pleasure for me to be here this evening for the 34th Annual Auckland Rugby League Awards Dinner.  In the lead up to tonight, like many New Zealanders I’ve been engrossed in the Olympics.  Indeed, my wife Janine and I were in London for the start of the Games, and while there I met Stephen McIvor and we had a quick conversation about the Warriors in Clarence House – Prince Charles’ home.  Since then the Warriors have had terrible results, so I’m hoping a more full commentary tonight might assist in righting the boys’ results.

I digress, this evening is about celebrating excellence – whether that be as a player, an administrator, a match official, a coach, or a volunteer in some other way.  We also celebrate the Auckland Rugby League community which continues to foster the game at a grassroots level – allowing our rangitahi, our young people, access to the game no matter what their postcode.

I think that it is widely acknowledged that Rugby League has been an important part of New Zealand’s sporting history.  Since 1907, when the famous “All Gold” team left New Zealand on its overseas tour – a tour which led to the establishment of the code on our shores and in Australia – it has become one of the most popular sports in Aotearoa, and especially in Auckland. 

Here in Auckland the roots of rugby league are strong, and here rugby league has grown to capture a wider following than anywhere else in New Zealand.  Perhaps that is simply relative to the size of Auckland, or possibly because rugby league plays a prominent role in the many communities within this expansive city.

As you may be aware, my immediate predecessor, Sir Anand Satyanand, is a keen rugby league man.  He certainly enjoys the game and sets time aside to watch it.  In his speech at the 100th Anniversary of Auckland Rugby League he said: “I recently saw a British game on television where a monster tackle took place crumpling the ball holder to which the commentator said, tongue firmly in his cheek, “That’s why they call Rugby League the family game”. 

One of the hallmarks of a New Zealand family includes the weekend sporting activities of our children.  Although I never played league myself, my eldest son played it as a young boy and I well remember my time spent on the side-lines, watching him play.  I can assure you that my comments from the side line were unbiased, helpful and clean – well mostly!  I think league gave him a good grounding in playing contact sport and I attribute his experience with league as one that taught him how to tackle properly – there are a number of our prominent players in the “other code” that have strong roots in league.

In this vein, the strength of grassroots sport in our country is something that we can be proud of.  It is part of our national identity, and is most certainly the reason why we are so successful on the world stage in so many different sporting codes. 

Another of my predecessors, Lord Cobham, was a very keen sportsman, and although the game of Cricket was his passion, he observed the significance of sport for our youth more generally when in 1961, he said:

“There is a profound truth in this… - the healing and strengthening effect of games, not only on the young but on every age. For sport is a great character-former; it teaches that self-control which must always precede self-expression, and that gracious acceptance of defeat which is the gold to victory’s silver”.

Perhaps that is a message that might be best directed to those teams in the Grand Finals this weekend!  I anticipate that it will be a very busy Saturday for the Auckland Rugby League community.

Good luck to the teams that will be competing – the Mangere East Hawks and the Papatoetoe Panthers, for the Sharman Cup; the Hibiscus Coast Raiders and Waitemata Seagulls competing for the Phelan Shield; and the Mt Albert Lions and Glenora Bears competing for the Fox Memorial Shield.  To the latter two teams competing who are present this evening – may the best team win!

In closing I want to thank and congratulate all of those here this evening who have been essential in providing the support structure upon which the game and its players rest.  Those include the parents and caregivers who have provided critical support to our young players especially.  They also include the many women in league who play a significant role on the administrative side of the game - one of whom has been acknowledged this evening as the Auckland Rugby League Administrator of the Year.

I offer congratulations to tonight’s award recipients.  It is a privilege to be among you all this evening, to join in celebrating excellence in rugby league. 

Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.