Fairytale comes true

By Will Johnston 

Former Taranaki hooker Robin Houghton helped inspire the Normanby Knights to their maiden Taranaki Division 2 title on Saturday.  

Houghton played two games for Taranaki and featured in Normanby’s 1978 side. He gave the team a pep talk and a bit of the club’s history before they ran on to the back field of TET Stadium.   

 Normanby general manager Larney Gray said it was fitting Houghton spoke to the players because he played in the last team that featured in a senior grade, known as Senior Thirds. Back then it was a combined team with Okaiawa.   

That motivation and incentive helped the Knights beat Tukapa 13-11 in the final. 

“They didn’t win it back then, so this 2020 championship is the maiden title for Normanby, as far as we know.” 

Some players wanted to play in this year’s team because there was no rugby league competition and neighbouring club Okaiawa didn’t enter a team due to the late start.   

Gray said forming a club was more than just registering players.  

“There was a hell of a lot of work to do at the beginning of the season. On top of recruiting, training and preparing our guys and team, we had to fundraise, approach potential sponsors and build a brand-new club from the ground up.” 

He said many people wore different hats to get the club up and running,  including Murray Turner, Justin Robinson and Gray Gardiner. 

There was some resistance from other local clubs about the formation of the team, but Gray said that was all in the past now they were champions. 

“It’s really incredible. After being turned down by other local clubs, our disappointment turned into drive as soon as the Normanby/Okaiawa Knights Rugby League Club embraced our idea and took us in.” 

The side featured many talented players and gained local support, he said.  

Having  finished the season unbeaten, Gray calls the season a fairytale.  

“To come all the way to the final, on debut, undefeated and win it, oh mate, it’s a fairytale.” 

Due to reducing travel for teams, the Division 2 competition was split up into north and south pools with a crossover match every week.  

Normanby played eight matches and accumulated the highest number of points and conceded the least in the competition.  

Their finals’ opponents secured more competition points but the form of both teams was deserving of a final.  

The celebrations after the game featured a small gathering.  

“We kept the celebrations tight knit [to only] management, team partners and true supporters only.” 

A prizegiving also took place and Gray said no one wanted the job of picking the award winners as so many played their best rugby with their ‘hearts out’.   

“Every single one of them was phenomenal and all of them played a role in getting our hands on that coveted Noel Ross Trophy. 

“We all got to soak it up and own it together. We will be back next year to defend our title.”