Cooper Whaanga, left, and Josh Pawson get up close and personal the famous Log o' Wood. Photo / Paul Taylor
Cooper Whaanga, left, and Josh Pawson get up close and personal the famous Log o' Wood. Photo / Paul Taylor
PT091020shieldfans4.JPG The Ranfurly Shield draws Magpies fans to the Napier Soundshell on the last Friday morning of the school holidays. Photo / Paul Taylor
PT091020shieldfans3.JPG Owen, right, and Janet Deadman take a look at the Shield with their grandchildren Tyler (13), left, and Maddie (11) Adlem. Photo / Paul Taylor
PT091020shieldfans2.JPG Cooper Whaanga, left, and Josh Pawson get up close and personal the famous Log o' Wood. Photo / Paul Taylor
PT091020shieldfans.JPG Arran (7), left and Lewis (5) Verner flank injured Magpie Josh Kaifa and the Ranfurly Shield. Photo / Paul Taylor
Generations of Hawke's Bay Magpies fans are enjoying the province's latest Ranfurly Shield era, with the team bringing the Log o' Wood to the community on Friday morning in Napier and Hastings.
Supporters of all ages came to see the famous trophy and the men who won it at the Napier Soundshell; the players sharing their prize and the fans sharing with them tales of victories past.
Brian McFarland of Taradale was about 10 years old during the Magpies' great Shield run in the late 60s.
He has vivid memories of the brilliant side that defended the Log 21 times between 1966 and 1969, with his father serving as a touch judge over those years.
Owen, right, and Janet Deadman take a look at the Shield with their granchildren Tyler (13), left, and Maddie (11) Adlem. Photo / Paul Taylor
"I've got the old badges at home still, they used to have the big parade up Marine Parade, and every game outside they used to sell badges of the opposing team and I've got quite a few badges still at home with the ribbons on them," McFarland said.
He brought along grandson William, who said it was really cool to see the Shield and the players.
"It's amazing that they won it," the 10-year-old said.
William McFarland, centre left, and his cousin James Graham with Hawke's Bay Magpies heroes Stacey Ili, left, and Tom Parsons. Photo / Supplied
William had vague memories of seeing the trophy at the Eskview Rugby clubrooms during Hawke's Bay's previous Ranfurly reign between 2014 and 2015.
But this time he got to hold the old Log, a "very cool" experience.
John McKenzie of Napier also brought his grandson down to touch the Shield, marking the fifth generation of his family's association with it.
McKenzie's grandfather Norman was the legendary selector and coach of the Magpies side that won the Shield for the very first time in 1922, and held it for five years before winning it again in 1934.
"It's been in my blood all the way through. I've still got good memories of the 60s era when they won it from Waikato in Hamilton in '66," John said.
Arran (7), left and Lewis (5) Verner flank injured Magpie Josh Kaifa and the Ranfurly Shield. Photo / Paul Taylor
He said it was a huge deal back then, with parades every Saturday morning of the reign:
"30,000 people at McLean Park, it was great."
Magpies captain Ash Dixon was an eager listener to stories such as those of the McFarlands and McKenzies.
"It puts things into perspective that it's not just about the team, it's about everybody," he said.
The Ranfurly Shield drew Magpies fans to the Napier Soundshell on the last Friday morning of the school holidays. Photo / Paul Taylor
Dixon said it was really cool to give the Shield back to the public, given the true magnitude of the Log could be hard to comprehend without that interaction.
"Because it's been around for such a long time, everyone's got their own story of it, of where they've seen it or family photos."
