Northland's finest sporting moment? Wow - that's a tough one. Northlanders are being asked to nominate their finest sporting moment for this year's Northern Advocate People's Choice Award. I have many that I could submit. One which I had a vested interest in comes to mind.
In 2008, the Northland rugby team was in danger of being dropped to the second division due to off-field reasons - not on field performance.
It was a New Zealand Rugby Union decision based around numbers - and not the ones on the backs of the players' jerseys. The Northern Advocate led a Save the Taniwha - Stop the Drop campaign along with More FM. We urged people to come to a Friday, August 22 match against Bay of Plenty, to show their support, to make signs, to make noise, to protest the decision. That night I drove home to get changed, to go to the game. As I headed towards Kensington, there was something odd that I noticed.
There was a buzz about the town, a steady traffic flow and I realised people were heading to the game. It was a moment I'll never forget - the town, the region, they were responding, to save their team from humiliation. It was a good night to be a Northlander. The game was played before 15,000 people - the biggest crowd seen at Okara Park for 20 years. The signs said "Steve Tew, who are you, to drop us to Division 2!" and my favourite - the one that mentioned a recipe for "Fishhead S.Tew".
We lost the rugby battle 15-10. But we won the war - the NZRU backed down, and changed its mind. The Taniwha was saved. A great Northland sporting moment.
