TIRELESS WORKER: Bill Robertson thanks Josh Stevenson for his input. PHOTO/FILE
ICE BATHS, massage, video games or simply sleep - how they prepare for the Chatham Cup football final in Auckland tomorrow is the players' prerogative.
Needless to say, not too many of TSB Bank Napier City Rovers and Eastern Suburbs AFC squad members are likely to catch anything more than a nana nap before the 2.30pm kick off at the Trusts Arena in Henderson.
That's because their jangled nerves will preside, especially for the Danny Wilson-coached Blues who were scheduled to catch their flights to the Big Smoke after 5pm today before trying to catch a wink or two in unfamiliar motel beds a stone's throw away from the park.
"We didn't want to stay there the night before," Rovers midfielder Josh Stevenson said last night, revealing they intended to go tomorrow morning but sold-out flights put paid to that.
A Hastings police constable, Stevenson said he was different from many teammates in that irregular shiftwork meant he could turn up for games in the winter after finishing his beat or make a beeline for work after a game.
Normally the 26-year-old unwinds before games by gardening or mowing lawns but agreed hanging out with teammates would mean they would talk more about the final.
"I guess we'll just chill out and engage in Fifa PlayStation games with some banter and a good laugh," Stevenson said.
Five knockout cup matches threaded between league-winning seasons will boil down to 90-plus minutes to see who is the best in the country.
Heavy rain is forecast but he was quick to point out the semifinal match at another Auckland venue held out pretty well in their penalty-kick victory over Birkenhead United.
"I suppose it will affect the game a little bit but it'll suit us to speed things up and move the ball around," he said, emphasising while they played in Wellington most fields there are artificial turfs.
Stevenson said it would be interesting to see what the Trusts Arena pitch would be like shortly before kick off because the women's final between Massey University and Glenfield Rovers was to be played on it from 11am.
Stevenson, Robertson, Wilson and Fergus Neil were in the 2011 Rovers side that lost 2-1 to Wairarapa United in Palmerston North in the cup final.
"That day we were a good team but Wairarapa were a very good side so we kind of overachieved and were lucky to be there in the final."
Stevenson had no doubt which silverware the Rovers and their club would treasure most despite the Blues clinching this season's Lotto Central League champions to stay on track to fulfil their goal of securing a double.
"It's definitely hands down for me for the knockout cup but it's going to a hard, old day so we'll try our best."
Robertson said his men felt they had set a realistic target to win the league and the Chatham Cup.
"Now we're 90 minutes away from achieving that. It's been a fantastic season already. There's a lot of hard work gone into it from the players and a lot of other people from within the club as well. It would be huge for us to round it up with completing the double and I think anything less than winning the game on the weekend would be a huge disappointment for us."
The Rovers have lost just once this winter - a 1-0 league result to Petone FC in Napier on May 24 - in league and cup matches.
Suburbs coach Malcolm McPherson said via NZ Football: "I think both sides will be feeling pretty similar about the whole thing. Napier won their league title as well so it would be a successful season for both sides if either of us could win the cup on Sunday."
This season is shaping up as being the most successful for Suburbs since the 1960s, during which they became Northern League champions twice and lifted the cup on three occasions.
FINAL DETAILS
WHO: Eastern Suburbs AFC v Napier City Rovers.
WHEN: Tomorrow, 2.30pm kick off.
WHERE: The Trusts Arena, Henderson, Auckland.
REFEREE: Matthew Conger.
ASSISTANT REFS: Mark Whitehead, Simon Lount.
FOURTH OFFICIAL: John Rowbury.
EASTERN SUBURBS: 1. Simon Williams (GK), 2. Joe Nottage, 3. Rhys Ruka, 4. Rudy Mozr, 6. Eammon O'Brien, 7. Michael Bryant, 8. Sander Waterland, 10. Denver Macdonald, 11. Brandon Barnes, 13. Matthew Francis, 14. Damian Mosquera, 15. Nathaniel Foster, 16. Frank Belt, 17. Charl Compaan, 18. Tristan Prattley, 19. Tom Shaw (c), 20. Ryan Elder, 21. Frank Clarke, 22. Ernest Wong (RGK).
Coach: Malcolm McPherson.
NAPIER CITY ROVERS: 1. Ruben Parker (GK), 2. Dan Ball, 3. Phil Dol, 4. Logan Bensemann, 5. Finn Milne, 6. Miles John, 7. Stephen Hoyle, 8. Ryan Tinsley, 9. Angus Kilkolly, 10. Saul Halpin, 11. Tom Biss, 12. Oli Chapman, 14. Josh Stevenson, 15. James Hoyle, 16. Danny Wilson (c), 17. Fergus Neil, 18. Chris Greatholder, 19. Bill Robertson, 20. Fane Morgan, 21. Kyle Baxter (RGK).
Coach: Bill Robertson. Ast coach: Chris Greatholder.
ROAD TO FINALS
Eastern Suburbs:
Rd 1: Bye.
Rd 2: Eastern Suburbs bt Western Springs 4-1. HT: 3-0.
Rd 3: Eastern Suburbs bt North Shore Utd 4-1. HT: 2-0.
Rd 4: Tauranga City Utd drew Eastern Suburbs 1-1. HT: 0-0. AET: 1-1. Suburbs won 5-3 on penalties.
Quarterfinal: Cashmere Technical lost to Eastern Suburbs 1-2. HT: 0-1.
Semifinal: Eastern Suburbs bt Mangere Utd 4-0. HT: 3-0.
Cup Champions
1951: bt Northern (Dunedin) 5-1.
1953: bt Northern (Dunedin) 4-3.
1965: bt St Kilda 4-1.
1968: bt Christchurch Technical 2-0.
1969: bt New Brighton 2-0.
Runners-up
1955: lost to Western (Christchurch) 2-6.
1976: lost to Christchurch Utd 4-0.
2006: los to Western Suburbs 0-3 on penalties.
Napier City Rovers:
Rd 1: Bye.
Rd 2: bt Stop Out 2-1. HT: 1-1.
Rd 3: bt Palmerston North Marist 4-2. HT: 1-1.
Rd 4: bt Wellington Olympic 4-3 AET. HT: 1-0. FT: 3-3.
Quarterfinal: bt Western Suburbs 3-0. HT: 0-2.
Semifinal: bt Birkenhead Utd 4-3 in penalties. HT: 0-1. FT: 1-1.
Cup champions
1985: bt North Shore Utd 3-1.
1993:bt Rangers (Christchurch) 6-1.
2000: bt Central Utd FC 4-1.
2002: Tauranga City Utd 2-0.
Runners-up
1997: lost 2-3 AET to Central Utd.
2011: lost 1-2 to Wairarapa Utd.