Wanganui Athletic turn down trophy

Rose Lockett and her Wanganui Athletic teammates have dominated their Manawatu competition in 2013, but with big games coming up they have turned down the chance to claim the Palmerston North title.

Despite an outstanding undefeated year, the Wanganui Athletic women have chosen to turn down a championship trophy that was there for the taking, to make sure they can claim the Federation Cup title in Hawera this Sunday.

Having already wrapped up the Manawatu Top 4 title with their untouchable points lead, two days ago Athletic had been preparing for the formality of their final round-robin game against PN Massey Reserves in Palmerston North.

Instead, coach Dave Downes said they were informed by Central Football that his team needed to play Massey in Wanganui for the quarter-finals of the separate Palmerston North Knockout competition.

Having previously planned to use secondary school players on Sunday to give his tired stars some rest time from an increasingly long season, Downes made the decision to default the playoff to ensure everyone was 100 per cent for the Federation Cup game against Taranaki's Moturoa AFC women.

With that final being followed by consecutive weekends of the Central League qualifying home and away series against Wellington's Stop Out club, Downes said the stakes were too high.

"We couldn't compete in the three competitions at the same time. For us, [Knockout] was the lower end of the trophies."

It highlighted issues Downes has had with Central Football's administration of the various competition draws this season.

It goes back to the June 23 weekend , during which Athletic were not allowed to play North End AFC 1sts, despite fair weather in Wanganui, because the other Manawatu-based games were waterlogged.

Athletic could have finished their Manawatu Top 4 campaign by now if not for that postponement.

"It was madness. I think, if you've got a league game, you should play it," said Downes. "We've still got to play [Massey], which is rather odd. We'll be playing till about October 1.

"I don't think they'll ever play it, to be fair. I talked to the Massey coach and he was bemused by it as well.

"[Central's] running out of time before they lose their grounds for the season they're on a lease basis."

Having repeatedly beaten all the Manawatu teams remaining in the PN Knockout competition during their regular league season, Downes admitted it was a tough sell when he sat his squad down to explain why he did not think that trophy should be their priority. Technically gave up their undefeated tag.

"The girls were disappointed because they wanted to win everything, as you do."

Athletic will have their normal Thursday night training to prepare for the Federation Cup final against Moturoa at Hawera's Turuturu Park.

Downes said the team had played enough football at this stage to ensure fitness wouldn't be any kind of issue the focus was on mental preparation and making sure everyone was motivated.

After the Federation Cup game, Wanganui Athletic will host Wellington Stop Out at Wembley Park on September 15, then travel down to Lower Hutt's Moera for the return game.

All three teams Athletic, Moturoa and Stop Out are undefeated on the pitch in their various women's competitions this year.