Shield Fever

By Graeme Woolf

I regret to inform you that I’ve got a fever.  It seems that most years recently at around this time, it comes on.  I often know well in advance that it’s going to happen, and this week, it’s well and truly here.  It’s not just any fever though, it’s Shield Fever.  And this week it’s developed as my beloved Tasman Mako come here to Napier to challenge for the Ranfurly Shield.

I’m a born and bred Nelsonian and remember going to Nelson Bays games when I was younger.  I still have a Nelson Bays jersey, surely a rare item these days.  When Nelson Bays and Marlborough merged to become Tasman in 2006, it was only natural that I’d jump on board.  I was living in Wellington at the time and when back in Nelson that year to visit, I sought out the local sports shop and purchased a Year 1 Tasman Makos (as they were back then) jersey.  Even 2 years ago when they launched the now defunct Finatics programme, I happily paid my $55 to become an “Owner” of the Mako and was proud to announce that to anyone who would listen.

Back in November 2021, we came up to Napier for the NPC semi-final and beat the home team.  I have an image that was posted online of the end of the game and when zoomed, I’m the only one standing and cheering in the Harris Stand while everyone else is sitting grimly after their Magpies lost.  What a day that was!  I stood at the front of the Harris Stand at McLean Park until all of the players had left the field, proudly doing a FinzUp to each of them.  My wife was very embarrassed, but I was in my own world and I was loving it.  The following week, I made the trip to Hamilton for the final and attended along with my cousin and his wife, also Nelsonians, and we unfortunately lost that match

I also trekked to Wellington last year for that Shield Challenge.  My brother and nephews came along too and must have wondered why they bothered.  In front of about 100 people at the Caketin on a wintery Wellington Wednesday night, I witnessed a terrible game of rugby in which we lost 7-0.

That was one of 4 challenges since the Mako came into being.  We challenged Hawke’s Bay in September 2022 as well and came up short.  As usual, I had the fever, and was amped up for us to finally take the Shield, but it wasn’t to be.  It’s not much fun to be cheering for a team coming up against the team from the place you live.  That night and on the Monday at work, I had to take some ribbing from family and colleagues.

And this Saturday night, I’ll take my family back to McLean Park along with some friends, and that same cousin and his wife from the Hamilton game.  I’ll have high hopes that this will be our time to finally win the Shield and take it back to the Top of the South.

Please Mako, please, do it for this shy little boy from Nelson.

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