LEAGUE - Bay Slayers enter cut-throat contest

WHEN casting around for a name to contest the Northland premier club rugby league competition, the Bays Slayers must have contemplated becoming the Bay Phoenix.
Certainly, the Slayers have risen from the ashes of the former powerhouse of rugby league in the mid-north, the Hokianga Pioneers. The new club will be based at Ohaewai this season but they are far from being a raw bunch of recruits - many of the team have won Northland titles in previous years as a part of the all conquering Pioneers.
For the third year in a row the Hokianga club is officially in recess, without a senior team or even junior teams. The Slayer's new administrators - made up of largely frustrated ex-Hokianga players - decided it was time to stop dwelling in the past and make the move to establish a new club.
After a couple of years of rugby league obscurity, Justin Webster (pictured, right) and a couple of mates decided to start training at Ohaewai. Once the word got around, the Slayers numbers began to grow.
Webster has a pragmatic approach to the new club and their future. "We're not expecting great things from our first season, because it's always hard to get a new club going, but what we are trying to do is establish ourselves as a club in the competition this year and go on from there," he said.
"The Pioneers don't really exist anymore and we're more based in the Bay of Islands now ... we'll play in Ohaewai this year but next year we're hoping to use the new grounds at Kerikeri."
The idea of basing the club in Kerikeri in the future makes a lot of sense. The town is a growing centre in the mid-north and its facilities are starting to show that.
The Kerikeri Sports Complex with room for four rugby fields, is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2009 winter sports season and the league club are interested in establishing themselves there.
The fledgling club has already approached the Far North District Council, who's response has been encouraging.
"The council seem to think it's all a good idea and things are already in motion to secure us a field for next year, so if we can really get the club going this year by next year we should be on to a good thing."
The Whangarei City and Districts Rugby League premier grade competition gets underway this Saturday with the Bay Slayers taking on last year's champions, Moerewa Tigers.
It will be a tough start for the Slayers' new team _ but they wouldn't have it any other way. There will be a trophy up for grabs for the winner of the match. The Denis Davis Memorial Trophy is a new trophy that commemorates the life of Mr Davis, a club stalwart and member of the victorious Tigers team last year, who passed away over the off-season.
In other matches this weekend Ngawha Saints host Takahiwai, who have made their intentions clear they will boycott the match and forfeit the competition points.
Portland play Marist, who have satisfied the WC&DRL; that they have complied with entry regulations and have been given the go-ahead to join the senior competition. Wairoa Bulls meet Kaikohe Lions in the fourth match while Hikurangi have the bye in week one of the nine-team competition.