Alan Mason
SURELY THE first NRL game to be played in Napier must boast enough pulling power to bring one of Hawke's Bay rugby league's favourite sons, Alan Mason, home for a visit.
"I won't be coming back for that one," former Unicorns player and coach Mason said, referring to the July 25 McLean Park clash between the Melbourne Storm and St George Illawarra Dragons.
"It was inevitable Napier was going to host an NRL match. It's awesome it's going to involve young Tohu [Hastings Boys' High School product and Storm forward Tohu Harris] ... what a fantastic boost for Hawke's Bay and New Zealand rugby league," Mason, who has been living in Cronulla, Sydney since 2010, said.
Like Aussie-based former Bay surf lifesaver Daniel Moodie and footballer Jimmy Cudd, who have already been profiled in this series, former standoff Mason, who played for the Unicorns from 1989-95 and in 1998, after returning from playing stints in Britain and France, has no plans to return to the Bay in the near future.
"The money is too good over here and there are better job opportunities," Mason, 48, explained after another day on the job in the steel fabrication industry.
"I was home last year for a holiday and I heard 70 people chased one truck-driving job during one day."
Because of his work commitments, Mason's involvement in league is limited these days. He still mentors a couple of his former New Zealand Maori Under-18 players who are playing for Paramatta and gets along to NRL games when he can.
However, news of the McLean Park encounter sent Mason, a father of five and grandfather of two, into reminiscing mode.
He agreed the highlights of his Unicorns playing days were the 1994 and '95 seasons under coach Gary Kemble, a former Kiwis fullback who went on to coach the Kiwis.
"Gary brought something out of me other coaches couldn't. What he did opened up those opportunities for me in Britain and France," Mason said, referring to his contracts with British club Leigh Centurions and Palau Del Vidre.
"I remember going to France as a player and finishing as a player-coach. Coaching was very challenging as the only bit of French I knew was Bonjour, so I relied on a couple of players who knew a bit of English, as well as my actions to get the message across. The standards over there were a big eye-opener," Mason recalled.
During the 1995 season, when Mason was captain and player of the year, the Unicorns beat at least one Lion Red Cup team from each of the three big league cities - Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Mason has fond memories of a win against the Counties-Manukau Heroes in a match played as a curtainraiser to a Kiwis test against France in Auckland.
"I remember a then former Kiwis standoff Dean Clark coming up to me afterwards and telling me I had a top game. I had outplayed one of our country's best at the time," Mason said.
A former Taradale Eagles and EITSA player and coach, Mason, was quick to reply when quizzed on his coaching highlights.
"Winning the Challenge Cup with the Unicorns in 2007, as that cup is the Ranfurly Shield of league, my three years as the New Zealand Maori Under-18 coach and preparing a couple of our Bay girls, Maia Tua-Davidson and Shaan Waru, for a successful test series for the Kiwi Ferns against Aussie in 2008."
Beating the Australian Indigenous Under-18 team in a series in 2005 with the New Zealand Maori Under-18s saw Mason win the Ngati Kahungunu Coach of the Year award in 2005.
Mason's only regret during his playing career was not reacting early enough to achieve his goals.
"I wanted to be a Kiwi but I wasn't in the right environment early on in my career. I become a professional player when I went to England when I was 28 ... things happened a bit late. Things would have been a bit different had I reacted earlier."
We couldn't end our chat with Mason without getting him to name his Unicorns team, a selection containing what he considered the best players in their respective positions during his playing career.
It is: Wayne Cook, Russell Pere, Mike Dorreen, Abe White, Richard Broughton, Alan Mason, Steve Carey, Kahu Ropata, Sonny Cavanagh, Kelly Makoare, Peter Cordtz, Willie Tiopira, Nathan Picchi. Substitutes: Mike Culley, Shayne Nuku, Jamie Stevens, Charlie Kennedy jnr.
Coach: Gary Kemble. Co-managers: Mark Taurima and Shane Hurndell.