The match of the century - after the dust has settled

Well, the big game was on saturday, the Young Guns taking on the Old Farts for bragging rights and honour and glory.

Both teams came out expectant of a victory, both had built up to this moment for the whole year, for the Old Farts this was just another game in a long lifetime of games, but for the Young Guns this was the moment for them to prove they had arrived, their test of manhood, like the young Zulu boys single handedly killing a lion to become men, this was their moment to step up.

So the scene was set, and under a baking sun both teams lined up on a hard and fast track, straining at their positions to unleash wave after wave of attack on the opposition .

The Young Guns got the advantage of playing in the familiar red strip, while the Farts took on an "away strip"
The Guns winning the toss choose the ball, and had the pass off but within seconds the ball had been intercepted by "Trapper" (Wayne) on the right wing , passed to Dave L, driven into the cuircle and Trapper picked up the return pass and slotted it past the goalie. The Farts were up with in a minute or two of the wistle!

There was stunned silence in the Guns, they were reeling.

Trappers second goal was even better, a long ball from the halves (Nuts or Scotty?) went to Trapper unmarked in the circle, and everyone was even more stunned when he trapped it and then reverse flicked it past the advancing goalie! 2-0 .

I lost track of what was scored in the first half, but think we were up 4 -2 at half time through Scotty and Dave L adding goals.

And so it went, with the Farts playing cat and mouse with the Guns throught he first half, but the final score showed their dominance at 9 - 5 to the Farts.

This was the best game from a stable Farts pack, with lots of passing, and plenty of running, and justified the Farts position as #2 team

The day was also a special tribute day to Robbie or GOK as he is beginning to be known (refer pic) with it being funny hat day! the night before was the prize giving, and Robbie had turned up in suit and bow tie after the fashion ribbing he had received

Goal scorers

Trapper (Wayne) 2

Dave L 2,

Scotty 2

Willie 1

Cameron 1

Veitchy 1

No MVP's for this match

The match up of the century! - Sat 19th 2.00 - Fraser Park

This year has already seen a host of big match ups', the Silver Ferns v the Diamonds, the AB’s v the Springboks, and Tua V Cameron, but now the event to top them all:-

The Old Farts V The Young Guns!

After years of constant bicker and sniping from the sidelines, IMG have finally been able to contract those two heavyweights of NaeNae hockey (well yes, Ash and Glen, but also the rest of the teams!) the Old Farts V the Young Guns, better know as the R2’s V the R3’s.

This is the end of season game to top them all, who will come out on top, are the Old Farts past it, are they just an old smell that’s hanging around well past their season, or are the young guns just a bunch of hyped up whipper snappers that need putting in their place.

Its illegal to smack the young’ens now, so the oldies will have to assert their presence and mana on the field. Will the young guns cope, or will they cower and cry for their mummies?

Come and see, This Saturday, Fraser park, 2.00 hit off!

All spectators are welcome to come along and cheer or jeer their side on!

Press release - Old Farts entry to WOW

In a move that has stunned the fashion industry and apparently left GOK speechless, the Old Farts have released pre show images of their entry in the WOW (World of Wearable arts) competition.

As you can see from the picture, Robbie is seen here parading the costume before the rest of the team in a pre event showing.

Robbie, the self styled fashion guru of Nae Nae hockey, is seen here wearing tummy hugging shorts, figure flattering shirt and topped off with the latest in anti-skin cancer headwear (SPF 7000+)

Note the fetching colour co-ordinated glove (Robbies tribute to MJ the king of pop) and the comfortable yet form enhancing grey sweat top to match the stripe on his shorts.

This ensemble may be rolled out to the entire Nae Nae club with all royalties being donated to Ropata Old people home (some rumour that Robbie has pencilled his name against an apartment there!)

match report Sun 6th Sep V Karori 3 Drew 4-4 (and sign off for the season)

The Farts had fought back well to get up to the top 4 after a less than desirable start to the season. Being close to securing a play off position, it was disappointing to learn that only 1st and 2nd would have a play off game, thereby making this game the last one of the normal season for the Farts.

We were without a couple of regular players, Glen and Scotty both overseas (South Is, - but not together!). But Robbie was back, and Willie returned for more punishment to his tortured body. Ash also came for a run, so it was a reasonably good team with reserves that lined up to take on Karori 3.
The game see-sawed in the first half, with the farts dashing right winger (or should that be whinger) Wayne, slotting 2 goals, both good efforts (mind you he didn't have to try and trap either of them!).

The first was a ball that was banged in by Dave N from the left, bobbled up from the goalie, Wayne’s first shot rebounded back off the goalie but the subsequent follow up shot rocketed across the line (actually it dribbled in slow motion!).

Wayne’s second was a deft touch off a Dave L shot that was going wide of the gaol but Wayne steered it pas t the gaolie.

In the second half Dave L scored a cracker, slotting a field shot high into the back of the net, and Veitchy finished off the scoring with a shot from the edge of the circle that went quicker than a politician claiming his accommodation allowances.

Unfortunately Karori also scored 4 goals, so it ended in a 4-4 draw.
Apart from that the game was quite scrappy, with a few players having a “quiet word” with the umpires and Cameron having a break on the sideline for a while.

It felt like a good Old farts team though, bolstered with Willie (and thanks for umpiring first half) and Ash on the sideline, and especially valuable was Ash’s insights into the finer points of the game, both during and at half time, something we have missed most of this season.

Special mention to Ainsley, she’s best our most consistent supporter this year, nearly every game, and put up with my post match reviews and whinging after the game, as well as making some suggestions (like apologising to ash!). Thanks!

Goals
Wayne - 2
Dave L - 1
Veitchy - 1

MVP
3 - Cameron - lots of running, covered heaps of ground and played hard
2 - leon - last game, and volunteered to umpire as well
1 - wayne - 2 good goals

It was Leon’s last game for some time with the Farts, he is on transfer to China, and expects to be there a number of years. The Old Farts (and Nae Nae in general) will miss him. On the filed he always gives his best, and is always willing to umpire or help out in any area.

Next major calendar date is the end of year function, Friday week, $25 per head, get your tickets from ash (and its almost compulsory guys!)

After that, the special master’s season starts 6th Oct for 6 weeks and we can probably get a team together for the tournament at Hastings 16th, 17th and 18th Oct if someone organises it (Robbie? Glen?).

So for the regular season, that was the Old Farts for 2009!

And now, the time has come........................Fraser park, Sunday, 5.15!

And now the end is near
So I face the final curtain
My friend, Ill say it clear
Ill state my case of which I’m certain

I’ve lived a life that’s full
I’ve traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exception

I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
Oh, and more, much more than this
I did it my way

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you know
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way

I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried
I’ve had my fails, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh, no, no not me
I did it my way

For what is a man, what has he got
If not himself, then he has not
To say the words he truly feels
And not the words he would reveal
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way

Ahhhh................the Old Farts anthem

And so the Old Farts season for 2009 will come to a close, with the final curtain dropping on what was an up and down season when the final whistle blows on Sunday night.

We will end up 3rd, 4th or possibly 5th, but there are only finals games for 1st v 2nd, so this game is the last of the season.

This is a call to all to come along, cheer us on, laugh with us (and at Robbie’s shorts) and probably hurl abuse at the right wing for not trapping again (at least he’s consistent).

I’m sure, that if ash is around, we can twist his arm to open up the club rooms afterwards, and i’d really like the whole team to come up for a drink, even a quick fruit juice.

All are welcome, come along to play, support, cheer or jeer at the Farts 2009 Finale

Match report 29th Aug V Indians 8

What a sporting week that was.

The "World 7" beat the silver ferns twice, With Ruth stating the first loss was due to a lack of team time together (but didn't the World have less time?), saturday night the Lions meowed and gave hew shield to the Cantabs, and in between the Farts got beaten by a more cohesive and skillful Indians team.
After the game there was a lot of frustration with the result and general acknowledgement that we didn't we play to our best.

In the after match press report, the manager put his hand up and apologised for creating the situation that unfolded on saturday. He qouted the often touted Robbie Deans saying that “a champion team will beat a team of champions”, in a big part because they play as a team.

The reality was that the Farts didn't play as team. While they applied a lot of presure in the first half, and the coreboard reflected it (2-1 up at half time), in the second half they lost any cohesion between the defence and attack, with a lot of ball stalled in the middle and what did come foward being squandered as players weren't aware of where each other was.

The reason is very likley due to the number of fill in palyers and others out of their normal postion.

This is not saying individually any of the team played poorly, just that we didn't click as a team, especially given its at the business end of the competition.

Having said that, a big thanks to Ants, Shaun and Chris for turning out for us, also to Willie for testing his legs after his run of injuries, Robbie fresh off the big jet, and of course ash as well.

Good goals in the first half to Dave N (following up) and willie with a stunning dribbling effort. We really did exert some pressure but were unable to convert.

A big thanks also to Richard for umpiring for us.

I have to admit to being pretty depressed after the game (and the shield loss that night), so haven't given deep though to MVP's, however some player do deserve mention and al get 1 point

Robbie - just off big bird that day after trip from the colonies
Willie - big effort after such a long injury recovery period
Ash - came to game although supposed to be working, then drove home to get gear and back again (and opened bar afterwards!)
Glen - solid as ever in goal

This weeks game is ou rlast of the season, there are no playoffs for any teams below 1st or 2nd in the grades. So its Sunday 5.15 at Fraser park.

Glen isn't available, but tim will be an able replacement for him.

See you all there.