President Phil Dowling
Secretary Treasurer Ros McPIKE
Club Captain Mark Harris
Premier Coaches were Paul Dougherty player coach & Joe Donald
Manager Johnny Girvan.
Senior coaches Mark Dowling and Geoff Blakely player coaches with Duncan Helm as player manager.
Malcolm Helm was our Bar Manager..
Malcolm Hodge was again our Medic..
Our popular busdriver was Gavin Weir.
Gavin Weir Maniototo Bus driver.
The season started with preason games with Maheno and Eastern Maniototo winning both. Against Maheno winning 17 nil taking the Rawcliff cup, and Eastern retaining the Douglas O'Malley Memorial Trophy winning 22 points to 10.
Thomas Huddleston about to pass in the game against Eastern.
Captain Logan Dowling receiving the Rawcliff cup from the Maheno Captain.
White Horse Cup Challenge.
24/4/2004
Maniototo dominated territory and led 9 - 0 at halftime thanks to a field goal by Hamish Wilson and two penalty goals by Thomas Huddleston. An hour into the game and against the run of play a loose ball was toed through and pounced on by Guy Hills, Steve Ridley converted to make the score 9 - 7. Then just before full-time Wakatipu attacked from deep inside their own territory and after the ball passed through several hands, Lee Terewi crossed to score. Full time score 14 - 9.
Maniototo Captain just having presented the White Horse Cup to the Wakatipu Captain. Maniototo having held it through 13 challenges.
Semi Final v Clutha Valley
Maniototo Premiers finishes fourth in the Central Region series, winning three, losing four, scoring 159 points for and 81 against. It then qualified second in the preliminary rounds of the Country-wide Division 2 competition with three wins in five games, accumulating 109 points for and 64 against.
Maniototo beat Clutha Valley 27 - 10 after leading 12 - 5 at half time in the semi-final of the second division at Gimmerburn.Hamish Wilson scored the first of Maniototo's four tries. Other tries were scored by Bryce Rishworth, Sean Becker, and Vaughan Dowling. So they now play Toko in the final at Milton.
Jimmy Becker and Matt O'Connell after their win against Clutha Valley in the semi.
Vaughan Dowling scores against Clutha Valley in the semi
Rabby pleased with outcome in the semi.
Mark Dowling and Geoff Blakely coaches of the Senior side had a tough season just trying to field a team from one week to the next. Our hats go off to them for their efforts and to the players who were willing to fill in Saturday to Saturday. The Highlights of their season would have to be the draw with 4th placed Cromwell This was a great game to watch.
Craig Campbell and Duncan Helm
Division Two Otago Country-wide Final.
Maniototo secured the Country-wide division Two competition with a hard fought 9 - 8 win over Toko at Milton. Maniototo attacked from the opening minutes with Thomas Huddleston landing penalties after 15 minutes and 20 minutes to give Maniototo a 6 - 0 lead. In the second spell Toko began to get into the game when first five-eighth Barry Rogan scored a good try. With 5 minutes remaining Rogan kicked a penalty for Toko to give them the lead 8 - 6. In the final minutes Maniototo came back on attack and when the chance arose first five-eighth Hamish Wilson dropped a goal to give Maniototo the win. 9 points to 8..EXCITING...
Maniototo boys raise their arms in triumph after winning the final against Toko.
Hero of the day Hamish Wilson after his dropped goal to win the final
Maniototo boys being clapped off the field by the very happy supporters.
Maniototo captain Logan Dowling reveiving the Otago Country-wide second division cup
Special White Horse Cup Challenge.
The White Horse Cup was lost to Wakatipu back in April 14-9. After lifting the trophy from Alexandra in 2000 Maniototo repelled 13 challenges. A special challenge was lodged at the end of the season. It also marked a clash between the new Countrywide division1 and 2 Champions. challenge. On and off the field injury plus holidays over-seas, resulted in the introduction of new players to premier rugby. They not only filled the gaps ,but paved the way for team rebuilding. The pleasing aspect about this player cycle was the growing confidence shown by the new brigade as the season progressed..
The boys from the Maniototo travelled to Queenstown for their special challenge for the White Horse Cup. After 14 minutes Maniototo went into the lead with a successful Thomas Huddleston Penalty. 6 Minutes later player of ther day loosie Richard Harley scored after a slick move and a pass from Hamish Wilson. the conversion was successful score 10 nil. Two more penalty attempts were missed and a couple of minutes before the break Wakatipu kicked a penalty. Maniototo were leading 10 points to 3 going into the break. In the second spell Wakatipu opened the scoring with a try, the conversion not sucessful making the score 10 - 8. With 16 minute to go James Peddie after a great 40 metre run scored much to the jubilence of the players and supporters alike. The conversion missed as did another penalty attempt. The Maniototo boys tried valiantly to hang on to their lead, but in the 79th minute Wakatipu were awarded a pushover try under the posts which was converted, making the score a 15 all draw allowing the holders to keep the cup. This was a great effort from the Division Two champions Maniototo after all they had just drawn with the Division one champions Wakatipu. Captain Logan Dowling and his boys should be very proud of thenselves we sure are. It was a great but heart wrencing challenge.
The Team
T.Kearney C.Crutchley V.Dowling J.Duncan L.Dowling (Captain) J.Peddie R.Harley D.Smith S.Sutherland H.Wilson J.Becker Sean Becker T.Huddleston G.Weir B.Rishworth.
Reserves
S.Hore P.Dougherty Scott Becker M.Little S.James N.A'Court Q.Smith
Excitement after James Peddie scores against wakatipu
Loosie Richard Harley scores.
A heart Wrenching moment for Maniototo after Wakatipu scores in the last minute with conversion going over 15 all and them keeping the cup.
Central Otago:
Charles Crutchley, Vaughan Dowling & Richard Harley.
A good night was held at Forry's Bar.
Premier Player of the Year - Richard Harley
Premier Most Improved - James Peddie and Sandy Sutherland
Senior Player of the Year - Mark Pringle
Senior Most Improved - David Lindsay
Derek Stumbles Memorial - Tony Kearney
Premier Play of the year Richard Harley
Special Presentation to Ros.
A special presentation was made to Our Secretary Treasure Ros McPike who after being with the Maniototo R.F.C. since it was established in 1998 announced her retirement.
Ros making her speech after having received beautiful flowers.