New Lynn Rugby League Club may be relatively small, but it’s big on passion. ‘We are a small but proud grassroots West Auckland club’, declares Chair Barbara Murphy.
Set up in 1967, the New Lynn Stags are based at Lawson Park and boast around 300 players of all ages and abilities. Barbara says players’ ages range from four to the incredible 81-year-old Bob, who still turns out for the master’s team while also being the club’s President.
The club may not have fielded any senior team this season, but the junior side of the game is alive and kicking, with nine junior teams, including a U12 girls’ team. ‘We’re very proud to have a girls team for the first time,’ advises Barbara, and adds that the club hopes to build on that achievement next season.
This season saw many notable successes, with the undefeated U12 girls’ team taking out the top spot in their competition. Furthermore, six local boys signed professional contracts with NRL clubs this year, and many others were selected for regional and national representative teams.
These successes build on an already impressive legacy. The club has nurtured some well-known league talent, including former Kiwi and NZ Māori Henry Perenara and Steven Bates, who later switched codes and became an All Black.
As a community club, fees are kept as low as possible, and money is always in short supply. The Stags’ clubrooms are old and in need of some TLC. ‘We’ve tended to do repairs and maintenance as needed,’ reports Barbara.
However, a major maintenance headache has been taken care of thanks to $20,000 of funding from the Your West Support Fund. Barbara says the money has contributed to operating expenses and replacing two electrical switchboards. ‘Our switchboards had not been upgraded in many years and needed to meet current regulations,’ she advised.
The new switchboards are more energy efficient and will reduce the club’s ongoing electricity costs.
The club is also investigating installing CCTV cameras to improve security. Barbara says there’s an ongoing battle with graffiti and vandalism. It’s hoped the cameras will deter would-be vandals and reduce unnecessary costs to the club.
The rugby league season officially kicks off in April. However, some teams have already started pre-season warm-ups, with most junior grades beginning in February, so now’s the perfect time to get involved. Keep up with all the latest updates on Facebook.
