Napier City Rovers defender George Andrew’s week sees him cultivate an orchard and sow uncertainty into opposition attackers. Video / Neil Reid
A relative unknown at the start of the 2023 Central League, George Andrew has gone on to become a reliable force for Napier City Rovers. Neil Reid reports.
George Andrew could never expect his work or football to take him to the places it did when he first arrived in Napier.
Work brought him to Napier in early 2023, signing on as an orchardist with Mr Apple; the company that grows apples on 1100ha in Hawke’s Bay and exports more than 5 million cartons of apples each year.
In terms of football, the former Team Gisborne and Massey University player wasn’t thinking big.
Just weeks after arriving in Napier, horticulture - including orchards – was hit hard by the devastating and deadly Cyclone Gabrielle. It led to work challenges he could never have imagined.
In terms of his sporting endeavours, Andrew’s place in the Napier City Rovers pecking order of defenders soared, rising from the reserve team – where he was voted MVP - to later becoming a Central League and then National League starter.
“I loved it last year, especially playing in the National League,” Andrew – a regular Central League match-day squad member in 2024 – said.
“It was a great experience when I first came into the first team, I hadn’t even played at Central League level before.
“For the first 12 weeks or so [at Napier City Rovers] I was in the reserve squad.”
Napier City Rovers defender George Andrew, right, watches on as team-mate Matt Jones tries to direct an attacking corner towards Island Bay United's goal during Napier City Rovers' 3-1 Central League win at Bluewater Stadium last month. Photo / Neil Reid
Andrew’s team continued their outstanding six-match winning run in the 2024 Central League last Saturday, beating North Wellington 3-2 in the capital.
The three goals came via Ethan Richards, his brother Kieran Richards and Oscar Faulds; the latter’s 13th of the season, putting him at the top of the Central League’s Golden Boot competition.
The win puts them in third spot on the points table. While being level with Wellington Olympic and Western Suburbs in terms of competition points, the two Wellington-based sides hold down first and second respectively on goal difference.
Swedish-born New Zealand footballer Oscar Faulds scored his 13th goal of the season last weekend, putting him at the top of the Central League's Golden Boot ladder. Photo / Neil Reid
Napier City Rovers face Western Suburbs at Bluewater Stadium on Sunday in what should be an epic showdown.
Andrew came into a Napier City Rovers first-team squad last year at a time when they truly had the acid on them.
Both Andrew and the Rovers – who were hit hard at the time by injury and suspension – fronted big time, winning those matches to finish third and secure National League qualification.
Napier City Rovers players (from left) Harry Mason, Ethan Richards and George Andrew warm-up on Bluewater Stadium. Photo / Neil Reid
The wins included a 4-1 battering of the Wellington Phoenix Reserves on the road, a match Andrew won the man-of-the-match award in.
“We had three or four games in a row where we had to win,” Andrew said.
“I came into [the 2023 season] not expecting to get first team [action], or pushing for a starting spot in the first team,” he said.
“So, I was quite proud of getting into the National League squad and starting matches.”
Defender George Andrew during a team warm-up while coach Bill Robertson looks on. Photo / Neil Reid
When Andrew’s re-signing at Napier City Rovers for the 2024 season was announced earlier this year, coach Bill Robertson said he had proven himself to be a “consistent performer”.
“He has all the necessary attributes as a solid and composed defender and is an excellent addition to the squad,” Robertson said.
The composure Andrew has shown on the football pitch in Napier City Rovers colours was also needed in his work life early last year.
Andrew was hired as an orchardist by Mr Apple once he completed his Horticultural Science studies at Massey University.
But some of Hawke’s Bays lush orchards would soon be damaged – including some destroyed – when Cyclone Gabrielle hit in mid-February, 2023.
Cyclone Gabrielle caused huge damage to the horticulture industry in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Warren Buckland
“Mr Apple has 16 orchards, including the one I work for,” Andrew said.
“One of our orchards got completely bowled. There was silt up to 3m high going through it, all the trees were buggered, tractors everywhere . . . it was a nightmare for a couple of the orchards, and they are only still recovering now.
“It was a big hit for Hawke’s Bay horticulture and Mr Apple as well.”
Fifteen months on from the devastation, most of the silt has been removed from his company’s orchards.
After playing for Team Gisborne as a teen, he moved to Auckland to finish his secondary school at St Kentigern College and then later travelled to America where he studied and played football at Phoenix’s Grand Canyon University.
Defender George Andrew looks on during a Napier City Rovers training session. Photo / Neil Reid
Some of his Gisborne-based mates hadn’t followed his footballing journey to begin with, Andrew said.
Rugby is the predominant sport in Poverty Bay and on the East Coast.
But interest in what he was achieving had increased after a bumper 2023.
“I think they’ve noticed a bit more now that I’m playing Central League and when I was playing National League last year,” Andrew said.
“It’s a bit more on the radar than playing for Massey University. It’s on a bigger stage than that.”
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 30 years of newsroom experience.
