Masterton Red Star chase fairytale ending to season

Masterton Red Star will complete a story of fairytale proportions if they happen to beat defending champions East Coast in the grand final of the Wairarapa-Bush premier division rugby competition at Memorial Park, Masterton this coming Saturday.
Not only are they attempting to win the title a season after they were forced to withdraw from the premier division competition because of a shortage of players but their head coach, Corie Karaitiana, is an absolute rookie in the role, having never coached at any level before.
No wonder then that Karaitiana is still pinching himself over the success of a season which has already seen Masterton Red Star share the Chris Kapene Memorial Cup with East Coast as joint leaders at the end of the first preliminary round, qualify a close second behind the same East Coast team for the semi-finals and then beat Martinborough there for a grand finals spot.
"Yes, it's pretty unbelievable," Karaitiana when reflecting yesterday on his team's effort to reach the competition decider.
"But we're not getting too carried away yet, there's still one match to go!"
It was the simple desire to see Masterton Red Star back in the premier division which prompted Corie Karaitiana to apply for the position of head coach.
As a former player in the club's top line-up himself he was keen to turn around their fortunes and after numerous calls to "friends and cousins" sufficient numbers were attained to make a premier division side viable.
And, what's more, the talent on hand was enough to have Karaitiana optimistic they would make up into a competitive unit once combinations were established.
"We knew we had a side with the raw ability to do well and it was just a matter of getting the chemistry right," he said.
"Obviously we could never be sure how long that would take
so we weren't setting any major goals, just getting a team on the paddock and consistently playing to the best of our ability was the first priority."
Karaitiana admits to having based his coaching philosophy along similar lines to that of Giants softball coach Tony Nixon under whom he has played that sport for many years.
"He (Nixon) often talks about the importance of players being mentally strong, of being able to make the right decisions under pressure," he said.
"And there is also no substitute for hard work, no matter how talented a player they will never reach their potential unless they are prepared to put the hard yards in as well."
The importance of players completely understanding their roles within the team is also stressed by Karaitiana and he has been delighted with the way in which his players have responded to that message.
"We work on the principle that everybody has to contribute equally on and off the field, that the level of commitment has to be full on," he said.
"No one gets star treatment, rugby is a team game and that's the way we approach it."
Reflecting on Saturday's grand final against an East Coast side which Masterton Red Star have played twice this season for a 15-3 win and a 27-23 loss, Corie Karaitiana is anticipating a battle royal with very few points again separating them at the final whistle.
"They (East Coast) have been there, done that and they know what the pressure of grand finals rugby is all about," he said.
"But at the same time we have a very enthusiastic bunch of guys who are dead keen to get out there and give it their best shot, they won't let us down."
For East Coast coach John Pereira having Corie Karaitiana as
his coaching counterpart in the grand final brings back happy memories.
Pereira played many games for the Masterton club alongside Corie's father, Greg, and other members of the Karaitiana clan during the 1980s and with notable success too.
"Our families go back a long way but I guess we might be in different corners come Saturday," he quipped. "I don't mind him (Corie) coming a good second, that'll do me!"
Pereira recalls actually having applied to coach the Masterton Red Star team a few seasons back and being turned down but he bears no hard feelings about that state of affairs and says it won't be playing a part in East Coast's build-up for this weekend.
"The concentration for us is on developing a game plan which brings the right result and nothing else matters," he said.
Pereira was in charge of East Coast for the first time last season when he and Ritchie Robertson combined to coach them to the first premier division title in the club's history but this year's progression to the grand final has been somewhat different.
Whereas 12 months ago East Coast "ambushed" their rivals after making a slow start this time they have been in, or near, the competition lead from the word go and a second premier division title has always looked within their grasp.
John Pereira, however, is taking nothing for granted, quickly pointing to the fact they have already lost to Masterton Red Star once this season and have, at other times, lacked consistency in their performance.
"I don't see us as favourites, it's back to square one for both teams and it will come down to who plays best on the day," he said.
An extra inventive for East Coast will be that two of their loyal servants, prop Darren Walker and lock James Balfour, will almost certainly be making their last appearance for them in the top grade.
And while promising winger and prolific try scorer Luke Shanks will probably be back again in 2010 he will be missing from Saturday's game because of a foot injury suffered in East Coast's semi-final win over Greytown.
"These guys have given us plenty this season and it'd be nice to repay them with another championship, wouldn't it?" Pereira said.