Napier City Rovers’ pre-season has been brutal at times – but banter and laughter haven’t been missing.
Video / Neil Reid
Defending National League champions Wellington Olympic await Napier City Rovers in the opening round of football’s Central League.
The teams will go head-to-head on Sunday at Bluewater Stadium, with Napier City Rovers fans hoping for a turnaround in fortunes from their side against the country’s top-ranked club.
Wellington Olympic were comfortable winners of the 2023 Central League, then beat Auckland City FC in the National League final.
And Wellington Olympic – who this year are coached by ex-Wellington Phoenix star Paul Ifill – last year saved some of their best performances for when they played Napier City Rovers.
Forward Jonny McNamara said he and his team-mates were under no illusion that they faced a “tough” challenge first-up. But, he stressed, it was one everyone was up for.
“We’ll go out there with our plan and give it a good go,” the 2019 Chatham Cup-winner said.
“Our team’s full of courageous players. We don’t want to be scared to go out and play Olympic . . . you can’t be scared to play anyone in this in this league.
“You just have to want to go out there and try and take three points [against] everyone.”
McNamara played that day but added more pain to his side when he was shown a red card for an off-the-ball incident.
Six months on, the feelings of disappointment linger for the proud player; who in 2022 was voted the Central League’s Most Valuable Player.
Napier City Rovers walk off Bluewater Stadium after last year's 4-1 loss to eventual Central League and National League champions Wellington Olympic. Photo / Neil Reid
“It was tough, obviously, but that’s because I care about the club,” McNamara said.
“I wear my heart on my sleeve.
“I want the club to do well, not just for personal reasons, but for the people that are here day in, day out, doing stuff around the ground and doing stuff in the community. This club’s great.
“I love this club. It’s probably the best club I’ve ever played for in terms of football, in terms of how the club’s run and how it’s a family club. It does hurt when you get when you get beaten . . . we do hurt.”
The National League round-robin result led to a “quiet” five-hour bus ride back to Napier. McNamara was also handed a three-match suspension following his red card.
Napier City Rovers standouts Jonny McNamara, left, and Liam Schofield take a breather on the first day of 2024 pre-season training at Park Island. Photo / Neil Reid
McNarama again shapes as a key player in coach Bill Robertson’s squad for the domestic football season; a squad that features a lot more depth compared to 2023 following off-season signings.
McNamara said training sessions in the lead-up to the 2024 season had seemed “more intense” than previously, something which would benefit the team over the coming months.
Napier City Rovers team-mates Oscar Faulds, left to right, Jonny McNamara and Kaeden Atkins. Photo / Neil Reid
“I think it’s great for the team and it’s good for the camaraderie with all the lads,” he said. “Because everyone’s up for it all the time now.”
McNamara tasted success in his first season with Napier City Rovers in 2019, being a key member of the side that secured the club its fifth Chatham Cup final triumph. The Liverpool-born plumber and gasfitter was also the competition’s top goal-scorer in the run to the title.
He said he’d love to be able to add a league-winners medal to his haul, as well as help his beloved side go on another run deep into this year’s knockout Chatham Cup.
“It’s a long season, we’ve gotta turn up every game,” he said.
Napier City Rovers player and assistant coach Stephen Hoyle observes his training during his side's build-up to the Central League. Photo / Neil Reid
“Every team [we play] will be decent this year. Let’s just go and have a good time. Let’s go and enjoy ourselves . . . go play some football and see where we end up.”
McNamara is a fan’s favourite at Bluewater Stadium; a player who gives his all on the pitch and someone who makes time for supporters young and old post-match.
“I’m the biggest advocate of having fun . . . whether it’s at work or in football,” McNamara said.
Napier City Rovers players post-training last week when they marked World Down Syndrome Day. Photo / Neil Reid
“You want to be serious, but you’ve got to enjoy yourself at the same time. You play your best football when you’re enjoying yourself.”
McNamara was to thank for Napier City Rovers sporting a different look at training last Thursday night.
Players and coaching staff donned colourful mismatched socks as part of World Down Syndrome Day, joining the global #lotsofsocks campaign.
Promotion for the event states: “The idea is to start a conversation, so when people ask you about your socks you can tell them, ‘I’m wearing them to raise awareness of Down syndrome’.”
Napier City Rovers players donned mis-matched colourful socks to mark World Down Syndrome Day at training last week. Photo / Neil Reid
About one in 1000 babies born in New Zealand has Down syndrome; a lifelong condition that impacts learning and development.
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 30 years of newsroom experience.
