League: Tough Kaitaia secure trophy

Kaitaia's Te Kahi Nathan looks for a break in the defence.

Kaitaia College managed to control their aggression in a ferocious first half and run out 18-0 winners of the NorthTec Adam Blair Trophy.

Kaitaia led 6-0 at half time in Wednesday's Grand Final against Whangarei Boys' High School in a match that occasionally saw the teams scrapping over more than just the ball. But as the contest settled down, it became apparent that Kaitaia would continually challenge the WBHS defence from dummy half, and through forwards like the busy man-of-the-match Jackson Sparkman-Brott who scored the only try of the first half.

For the defending champions WBHS, Wiremu Greig and Manaia Te Pirihi made yards down the middle and were part of an overall defence that performed better than the score indicated. For Kaitaia, Sadius Cook-Savage scored in the second half before Memphis Ngaruhe crossed in the dying minute of the game.

In the Plate Final, Dargaville High School beat Kamo High School 40-36.

Dargaville's classy centre Nasi Kuli shone, and Kamo's hard working forward Manasseh Turner was a handful close to the line.

Aaron Thomas, development manager of Rugby League Northland, said the matches had been an epic event fitting for a grand final scenario.

"The Adam Blair Trophy is a great way to introduce rugby league to new players, and from the Rugby League Northland point of view, it is instrumental for developing new players interested in the sport who often live too far away to join their local rugby league club," Mr Thomas said.

- The Adam Blair Trophy is named after former Whangarei Boys' High School student Adam Blair, a 30-year-old professional rugby league player, who plays for the Kiwis, and is also in the NRL's Brisbane Broncos.