Finlay Milne is finding traction at his new football home, Napier City Rovers. PHOTO/Duncan Brown
HEY, WHEN Finlay Milne says it wasn't an easy decision to make then suffice it to say he isn't joshing the football faithful.
The TSB Bank Napier City Rovers defender gave it some serious thought this year before switching allegiances from Palmerston North Marist for the Lotto Central League campaign this winter.
When the two sides kick off at 2pm today at Memorial Park, Palmerston North, Milne will find out what it's really like to be treated like a visitor in his hometown.
Support from parents Margot and Roy aside, the 25-year-old centreback will have twin brother Dom (younger by five minutes) to contend with in Marist's engine room.
If that's not enough, younger brother Adam, 22, the Black Caps strike bowler, is good mates with Marist player Jonathan Steele and the pair flat together.
"We have lots of other things going on in our lives," says Finlay Milne when asked if the subject of who'll prevail had cropped up on the dinner table.
The sport-minded parents will definitely be lapping up the game between top-of-the-table Rovers and sixth-placed Marist in the 10-team league.
Adam has played football himself but never for Marist.
He has run out for Wairarapa United and was part of the Chatham Cup-winning side that beat Rovers in the final at Memorial Park in 2011.
Finlay Milne says it's not that the family is afraid to bring up the matter at their home but it's more a case of "it's not a big deal".
"I've just realised, though, Dom and I have never played against each other competitively before, so it's a bit of a surprise."
Needless to say he did have a heart-to-heart with Marist coach Simon Lees soon after he finished his ASB Premiership campaign with the new-look Hawke's Bay United team at the end of summer to express his desire to play for the Napier side.
"I told Simon I was playing for Napier and what was best for my career.
"It wasn't easy to him that I was moving but he understood my reasons."
Milne had been playing for Marist from the time he was a child but didn't play for them last winter and two years before that because he was studying in the United States on a scholarship.
In the two seasons he played for Western Suburbs, however, he never ran on to Memorial Park as a visitor.
He had struck a rapport with fellow Bay United/Rovers English imports Ryan Tinsley and Saul Halpin in the Brett Angell-coached side who finished 2014-15 runners-up to Auckland City in the grand final.
"I guess I was keen to be part of an environment where I could extend myself with experienced players such as [captain] Danny Wilson, who I played alongside, and [player coach] Bill Robertson, whose position I play in and is good although he was in the opposition team," he says of Robertson who was co-captain of O-League campaigners Team Wellington.
Memorial Park, across the road from a cemetery, has been a burial ground for many opposition highfliers over the years.
Finlay Milne says the arena, with a concrete velodrome skirting it, has a grass surface akin to Bluewater Stadium in Park Island and enough proximity for fans to savour a ringside atmosphere.
"Teams from around the country have enjoyed playing there."
The Inland Revenue Department employee believes Marist will be dangerous despite the Blues' favouritism today.
"We'll be confident but we'll be going prepared and we certainly won't be taking them lightly.
"I know a lot about Marist, their personnel, their tweaks and changes in their formation," he says, mindful they are a proud side who tend to play for each other and lift themselves up for arch-rivals.
"They see the games against the Rovers almost in a derby-like way."
The undefeated Rovers will not be changing their style of play - a proven formula that has seen them make a glorious start with six wins.
Robertson is back in the squad after Team Wellington's debut in the O-League, after recovering from a hectic losing final against Auckland in Suva, Fiji.
Lees says the "appalling weather" in Palmerston North for the past few days may deny the Blues the chance to play their passing brand of footy.
The hosts have lost the services of strikers Tom Mosquera (Team Taranaki), Jerram Tuck ( Miramar Rangers), Jordan Martens (Stop Out), Jeremy Wild (Cashmere, Christchurch) due mostly to work commitments.
Inspirational midfielder Rhys Jones is out injured.
Lees says the team is in a much better position this season than it was last year because there is more experience. Marist finished seventh in the league on 25 points after gaining promotion.
"Last year we had players who had never played at Central League level."
He bemoans the lack of consistency required week-in, week-out this winter to be competitive but is mindful they had a daunting start against Western Suburbs, Wellington Olympics and Wairarapa United.
Lees says after round one finishes, when they have played bottom-placed Lower Hutt City and Tawa, they will secure a better rung on the table.
"Napier are outstanding. They have had a great start and are setting the bar for everyone."
The visitors, he says, have recruited well in Tinsely and Halpin with Angus Kilkolly also finding the net.
Last year, he believes Andy Bevin was the fulcrum for the Rovers but the new recruits are covering those pivotal points.
Like the Blues, Marist are coming off a Chatham Cup bye last weekend.
Lees says there's talk of trying to get Youngheart Manawatu back in the national summer league.
"We don't like to see our players going over the hill."
ROUND 7 DETAILS
From the Lotto Central League football competition before round 7 kicks off today:
WHO: Palmerston North Marist v Napier City Rovers.
WHEN: 2pm, today.
WHERE: Memorial Park, Palmerston North.
REFEREE: Antony Riley.
AR1/AR2: Daniel Hembrow/Mitchell Osbourne.
Both teams
PN MARIST: Gurkarnvir Singh (GK), 2 James Oxtoby, 3 Ashish Sahayam, 4 Wade Randle, 5 Khair Jones, 6 Troy Smith, 7 Michael Sheridan, 8 Tyson Brandt, 9 Josh Smith (c), 10 Jonathan Steele, 11 Michael Crisford, 12 Dom Milne, 14 Rhys Gayler, 17 Woody Maxey-Graham, 18 Josh Chettleburgh, 21 Heath Butler (RGK).
Coach: Simon Lees.
ROVERS: Ruben Parker (GK), 5 Fin Milne, 6 Miles John, 7 Stephen Hoyle, 8 Ryan Tinsley, 9 Angus Kilkolly, 10 Saul Halpin, 11 Tom Biss, 14 Josh Stevenson, 15 James Hoyle, 16 Danny Wilson (c), 17 Fergus Neil, 18 Chris Greatholder, 19 Bill Robertson, 20 Fane Morgan, 23 Kyle Baxter (RGK ).
Coach: Bill Robertson.
Other games
All today, home teams first:
3pm: Petone FC v Stop Out, Petone Memorial Park No 1.
5pm: Western Suburbs v Miramar Rangers, Ole Academy.
5.30pm: Wairarapa United v Lower Hutt City, Masterton Memorial Turf.
5.45pm: Wellington Olympic v Tawa AFC, Wakefield Park No 2.
Golden boot
8: Juan Chang Urrea (Western Suburbs).
7: Angus Kilkolly (Rovers), Ryan Tinsley (Rovers).
5: Saul Halpin (Rovers), Magno Viera (Wairarapa).
4: Paul Ifill (Wairarapa), Tinashe Marowa (Suburbs).
3: Ahmad Mohammadi (Suburbs), Callum McCowatt (Suburbs 3).
Standings
P W D L F A GD Pts
Rovers 6 6 0 0 27 6 21 18
Suburbs 6 4 1 1 23 9 14 13
Wairarapa 6 4 0 2 16 12 4 12
Olympic 6 3 0 3 10 13 -3 9
PN Marist 6 3 0 3 9 20 -11 9
Petone 6 2 2 2 12 9 3 8
Stop Out 6 2 0 4 11 11 0 6
L Hutt 6 2 0 4 6 13 -7 6
Miramar 6 1 1 4 5 10 -5 4
Tawa 6 1 0 5 5 21 -16 3