IMPRESSIVE: Craig Gowler is in charge of the hottest team in Hawke's Bay premier club rugby. PHOTO/Paul Taylor
LIKE his team, Napier Old Boys Marist head coach Craig Gowler has come a long way during his three years at the helm in Hawke's Bay's premier club rugby competition.
The former Manawatu Turbos centre-winger who played 49 first class games between 1991 and 2002 put it down to two words - player management.
"I've learnt so much. I've got to know a lot of the players more and for some unknown reason they're trusting me more," Gowler said on the eve of today's Tui Maddison Trophy fifth round encounter against Tamatea at Park Island.
With arguably the fittest HBI Insurances NOBM team since the club was formed in 1990, as well as the best bench, Gowler has guided the side to a 12-win, 1-loss record to date. Last year they recorded two losses in the Nash Cup round and four in the Maddison Trophy round and in 2014 three losses in the Nash and three losses and a draw in the Maddison Trophy round.
"We managed to win the Nash this year despite me missing a couple of games by going on holiday to Bali and a couple of our players, Tom [Bywater] and Liam [Edwards] getting married. Holidays and weddings didn't happen in my playing days but we were able to cope with those distractions because of the coaching staff I've got around me," Gowler explained.
His forwards coach Mark O'Shaughnessy was an unsung hero as a player and adopts a similar approach as a coach.
"Mark is just a quiet guy who gets on with his job in the background. Then I've got my mentor who lets me know when things aren't working and we have a few coffees together to come up with ways of fixing them," Gowler said referring to former Junior All Black Pat Benson.
There haven't been too many major repair jobs, just tweaks. First five-eighth Johnny Lauano, fullback David Benson and flanker Chris Johnston are three of several players who are playing the best rugby of their careers.
"Johnny is like his brother Migao ... he always has a smile on his face. David and Chris were both spare part utilities previously but this season I told them they will be fullback and No7 respectively. They've both ticked all the boxes I've given them and the team has benefitted," father of two Gowler said.
The irony surrounding his team's only loss to date this season hasn't been lost on Gowler, a regional manager for Rural Fuel.
"Yes ... during my playing days Murdoch Paewai used to run through and over me just like his Havelock North team he coaches did to us in the first round.
"Things haven't changed," Gowler said referring to his team's 24-12 loss to the villagers eight weeks ago.
NOBM will have the opportunity to gain revenge next week but Gowler won't ponder Paewai's outfit until today's game is ticked off. Tamatea are sitting on 57 consecutive losses but Gowler, who had only previously coached at Ross Shield level, won't take anything for granted.
"Tamatea are well coached by Adam McDonald who has a lot of nous. They are not far away from getting their first win for a while and I don't want it to be against us," Gowler said.
Like most of NOBM's opponents to date Tamatea will find the home team's tempo too tough during the final 10 minutes.
The razzle dazzle they turn on during the first quarter will still be there at the end and as opposition teams have learnt their ability to close out games this year is top shelf compared with past seasons.
"Because we're playing at such a fast pace we're dropping too many passes and throwing away opportunities.
Reducing those errors is our major work on but at the same time I'm trusting them to play the way they want to," Gowler added.
Expect Gowler's troops to beat Tamatea by at least 24 points.
In other games, defending champions Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports should beat Ansin & Monteith Hastings Rugby and Sports by nine at Elwood Park, Progressive Meats Havelock North should pip Tech Group of Companies Napier Technical by six at Anderson Park, K9 Petfoods Clive should beat Nortthfuels Central by nine at Farndon Park and Carters Frame and Truss Taradale have the necessary ammunition to win their home game against MAC by 20.