No Blues Brothers

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

NGATI Porou East Coast coaches Troy Para and Wayne Ensor will not have brothers Kris and Kareti Palmer for the Queen’s Birthday clash against Poverty Bay at Tolaga Bay on June 2.

“They’ve both gone to Australia and we’ll miss them. They have been an important part of the team in recent years,” said Para, who has named 25 players, with one to be added, to prepare for the game.

“Kareti (hooker) was our player of the year last year and hooker is a key position. Kris (winger/fullback) is not only one of our most talented and consistent performers, he was also our kicker.

“We’ve also lost Te Peehi Fairlie and Jayden Milner to the Bay, but we have seasoned Heartland players TK Moeke, Kerehama Blackman, Whaimotu Craft-Chemis, Ricky Waitoa and Pamona Samupo back with us.

Add to that list last year’s skipper Perrin Manuel, Paddy Allen, Hone Haerewa, Laman Davies and Scott Lasenby, and it gives Para and Ensor a solid core of experienced players.

Para and Ensor will also use the game to “trial” players from the local club competition, as well as loan players.

Among the loan players are former Manawatu Turbos squad members, Adam Ross (lock) and Hakarangi Tichborne (prop), Bay of Plenty under-19 hooker Raniera Whakataka, BOP lock Anaru Potae and Petone back Ngarangi Haerewa.

“We’ll have four training sessions (starting tonight) between now and the game to get structures and possible combinations in place.”

Meanwhile, Poverty Bay assistant coach Dwayne Russell said an injury list of 23 players was at this stage making it hard for the Bay to name a team.

“We’ll know a lot more after this weekend regarding the injuries,” Russell said. “Some are more serious than others but fingers crossed most of them on the list will start to come right between now and the game.

“We’d love to say we have a team signed, sealed and ready to deliver but that’s not the case.”

The latest on the injury list is Ngatapa prop Campbell Chrisp, who had 18 stitches inserted in his left hand after last week’s game against Tapuae.

Chrisp will miss Saturday’s game against YMP at Barry Park but should be available for selection for the Coast derby.

Chrisp and propping partner Semisi Akana have been in superb form this season.

Waikohu’s Sonny Hohipa-Campbell put his hand up with a man-of-the-match performance in last week’s premier win against OBM.

The OBM pair of Jamie Barnett and Lance Dickson have been playing consistently well all season.

HSOB hooker Jody Tuhaka and YMP rake Shayde Skudder are the leading contenders for the No.2 jersey.

“We’ll name a squad the week before the game and get together on the 28th, 29th and 31st,” said Russell.

“We have had some players in for conditioning and working on technique, but we have not been helped by the injuries.”

East Coast squad: Paddy Allen, Verdon Bartlett, Kerehama Blackman, Whaimotu Craft-Chemis, Laman Davies, Hone Haerewa, Ngarangi Haerewa, Fabyan Kahaki, Rikki Kernohan, Scott Lasenby, Perrin Manuel, TK Moeke, Aho Matua Morice, Anaru Potae, Teina Potae, Trent Proffit, Neihana Ratahi-Brown, Adam Ross, Pamona Samupo, Jesse Saywell, BJ Sidney, Slade Tiopira, Hakarangi Tichborne, Ricky Waitoa, Raniera Whakataka, one more to be confirmed.

Unavailable due to injury: Tanetoa Parata, Manaia Nyman, David Manuel.

Unavailable: Harley Phillips.