"This season the boys are playing for the club and for each other. When I first started a lot of the boys were playing for themselves," Joel, 21, said.
"This season everyone is on the same page. Everyone is tight."
MAC's second placing on the points table, five points behind leaders Napier Old Boys Marist backs up Joel's statements. This placing is a vast improvement on last year's fifth placing in the Nash Cup comp and eighth in the Maddison Trophy comp.
Cook Islands-born and Flaxmere-raised Joel, who didn't start playing rugby until his second to last year at Hastings Boys' High School, produced a player-of-the-match performance when MAC ended Clive's unbeaten run with a 20-17 win at Farndon Park on Saturday to become the fourth weekly winner in the tussle for the McDonalds-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award. Members of the MAC coaching staff reckoned Joel had the edge on Clive captain and Magpies hooker Jorian Tangaere.
"I want to be like Jorian and make the Magpies in the future. I know I have to improve my fitness and skills for all three frontrow positions."
The former Hawke's Bay under-17 softball rep has come a long way since marking then Magpies and future Highlanders and Maori All Blacks prop Brendon Edmonds when playing for MAC against Havelock North in 2017.
"Brendon was playing tighthead and I was playing loosehead. He was tough on the field but after the game we had a chat and he gave me a few tips on binding and how to stay strong," Joel recalled.
He pointed out his crossfit training at Flaxmere has improved his fitness levels this season.
A temporary worker at Orora Packaging in Hastings who is about to become permanent, Joel works alongside Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports players Gerome Naera and Matt Garland.
"There's always plenty of banter between us and it will increase as our game against Pirates gets closer. The boys are looking forward to that one."
When Joel isn't at work or playing or training for rugby he is likely to be found playing the guitar in the band at the Equippers Church in Hastings.
Does this mean he is the main man on the guitar during after-match function song sessions?
"No I leave that to Henare," Joel replied referring to one of the side's managers and "main waterboy" Hastings District Council councillor Henare O'Keefe.
That's another example of how organised the team is and everybody knowing their roles. They will need spot-on organisation to beat defending champions Taradale at Flaxmere Park on Saturday.
Best & fairest:
MAC v Clive: 3, Tere Joel (MAC); 2, Jorian Tangaere (Clive); 1, Fale Matamata (MAC).
Havelock North v Pirate: 3, Ricky Riccitelli (Havelock); 2, Isaac Paewai (Havelock); 1, Marcus Donovan (Pirate).
NOBM v Tech: 3, Hannon Brighouse (NOBM); 2, Jarvy Aoake (NOBM); 1, Elijah Martin (Tech).
Hastings v Central: 3, Neria Fomai (Hastings); 2, Jonno Makris (Hastings); 1, Tim Sciascia (Central).
Taradale v Tamatea: 3, Uta Tupuola (Taradale); 2, Angelo Mufana (Taradale); 1, Johnny Mullany (Tamatea).
Leaderboard: 6 points: Matt Gardiner (NOBM), Neria Fomai (Hastings), Ricky Riccitelli (Havelock); 5: Tere Joel (MAC), Tianua Poto (Clive), Lucas Goodin (Clive), Geoff Cridge (Hastings); 4: Ramiha Smiler (MAC), Elijah Martin (Tech).
