Rugby: Stalwart joins son in team for milestone

Kelly Graham (right) will play his 400th consecutive rugby game for Otane on Saturday and son Jaharlym will also be playing.

Otane rugby player Kelly Graham reckons it's just another game but expect emotion to get the better of him on Saturday.

When he trots out on to Otane Domain for a Town-Country grade game against neighbours Central it will be his 400th consecutive game for the team since 1992. This is believed to be a New Zealand record and to add extra significance to the feat his 18-year-old son Jaharlym, a lock-loosie, will be playing alongside him.

"To me having Jaharlym playing is what is going to make the day. He had his first full season with us last year," Graham, 40, explained.

"There have been a few games over the years where I've limped off thinking I won't be fit for the following week. But, for some reason, we've been short so I've got patched up and played. I've got a lot to thank that Plus Rehab physio outfit for," first five-eighth Graham said.

With the Central premier team playing on Friday he doesn't envisage the visitors stacking their team with premier players in an attempt to spoil his party.

"I don't think they will do that but I am expecting a bit of extra treatment during the game," Graham quipped.

"We won the Te Wero tournament earlier this month and that gave us a good gauge as to where we are at."

"Being Easter Weekend I'm sure we will have a good after match function. Hopefully some of my old teammates who are no longer playing can come and we can have a good catch-up about seasons and games from yesteryear."

Toyota Grassroots Rugby will film the game and the Ranfurly Shield will make an appearance.

Otane beat Hawke's Bay premier club Tamatea 26-5 in the final of the Te Wero tournament which they hosted for the first time since 1997. Before playing the final Otane beat Mahia.

Otane also won the netball section of the tournament.

The oldest of the regulars in the Otane side, Graham said playing touch during the summer league at the end of last winter for Kahuranaki kept his fitness levels up and enabled him to return for another season with Otane's only afternoon grade rugby team.

"I was lucky when I first started playing senior rugby the older blokes looked after me and I make a point of looking after the younger blokes we bring into the team these days."

He is grateful for the support he has had from family members over the years. His wife Vikki played for the club's top netball team for more than two decades and this year is coaching the side which plays in Central Hawke's Bay's premier competition.

The Otane Sports Club president since 2004 and a club life member, Graham never missed a night training session until he started a night shift stint in 2008. A boning room supervisor at Silver Fern Farms Takapau Plant, he is back on day shifts so he can attend trainings.

"Winning the Town-Country grade last year was quite satisfying. We then ended up third in division two," he recalled.

From 1996 until 2013 Graham was among the first players selected for the Central sub-union side. Since then he has assisted with the coaching of the team.

While his club playing record is unlikely to be bettered, Graham is equally as proud of the state of the entire club.

"We've got four junior grade rugby teams and four senior netball teams.

"Our top netball team won the Hawke's Bay premier title for the ninth time last year and our next team down has won the Waipukurau comp for the last four years."

When quizzed on the number of seasons left in his playing career Graham replied.

"It's a case of taking things season by season and match by match these days."

To be fair, Graham the "Brad Thorn of Otane" as he was nicknamed a while back has been saying this since chalking up his 325th appearance in 2010.

The Otane-Central clash is the only Town-Country grade game being played on Saturday. The others which will be played on Friday will see Taradale host Maraenui, Porangahau host Hastings Rugby and Sports, Waipawa host Havelock North, Takapau host Napier Old Boys Marist, MAC host Tech, Tamatea host Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports and Aotea host Clive.