Chief's roadie

RGP 28Jan16 - Three "Chiefs" and a whole lot of "Indians" at the home of Dave Barrett and Mawera Karetai. PHOTOS/KATEE SHANKS Tawera Kerr-Barlow with Karla and Kadin Meharry

The Gallagher Chiefs Summer Roadie began on Monday, and we've been seeing players throughout the Eastern Bay.

As part of the roadie, the team visited 19 towns in the Chiefs region.

On Monday the team was in Kawerau competing in a raft race on the Tarawera River. On Tuesday they were in Opotiki taking part in an open training at the War Memorial Park before players built their own rafts and took on locals in the Great Opotiki Raft Race.

That evening, to raise funds for Eastern Bay junior rugby clubs, the players joined Trade Me auction winners for dinner.

On Wednesday an open training was held at Rugby Park and followed by an autograph and selfie session.

The Whakatane News caught up with Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Atu Moli and Siate Tokolahi having dinner at the home of local wild food gurus Dave Barrett and Mawera Karetai.
On the menu was venison, marlin, duck and peacock with a Kiwi pavlova made by Karla Meharry for dessert.

Kerr-Barlow said he always enjoyed getting into the smaller communities and connecting with the kids.

"Some of these young ones don't get the opportunity to travel to Hamilton to watch the Chiefs play and, for the ones lucky enough to be able to, there's not always an opportunity for a chat or to sign an autograph," he said.

"The roadie lets us do that.

"As a young fella I would have been buzzing if any representative sports players came to dinner, so I hope it's the same for the people we are meeting tonight."
Confessing to being a bit of a foodie, Kerr-Barlow admitted he had never eaten peacock before.

"It's been awesome coming to a home and being served wild food. I'm pretty sure the other guys aren't experiencing anything like it."

Gallagher Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie said while the roadie week had a conditioning and team building focus, it was as much to do with connecting with and supporting communities.

"Over the past four years we have placed a massive emphasis on meaningful engagement right across our region and our boys enjoy the interaction. "We are more than just a Hamilton-based team and it's a great chance for us to understand who we are and who we represent. It will be great fun and we are really looking forward to it."