Club Rugby Player of the Year: Blocker Sets Pace

It's hard to gauge what Karl Bloxham is best known for these days.
Is it his work as the Hawke's Bay Rugby Football Union's Academy fitness trainer or his hot form as a flanker for the Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports premier side, which is unbeaten after three rounds in the Maddison Trophy?
Bloxham, 28, secured a three-pointer in the Tui Club Rugby Player of the Year competition with a player-of-the-match performance in his side's 21-14 win against Napier Old Boys Marist at Park Island on Saturday, to give support to the latter.
"I'm enjoying it. This is my first full season of playing since 2002," said the son of former Otago and All Blacks hooker the late Ken Bloxham.
The former Otago Secondary Schools representative had a bad run of injuries and, after arriving in the Bay five years ago, opted for surgery before focusing on his work.
"I had a bit of a run for the Pirates seconds last year in the backs and then my arm was twisted to play for the prems," recalls Bloxham, who is a more than handy kickboxer.
It's ironic that he regularly gets the opportunity to play against and smash players he spends all week preparing for action.
"There's always plenty of banter in the gym during the week," says Bloxham, who is confident Pirates will at least be semifinalists again this season.
"Things have been really positive for the past couple of weeks. We've got plenty of depth which will work well when our Magpies are taken out."
Best & fairest:
Leaderboard:
13 points:
Adam Bradey (Havelock North), pictured.
9 points:
Richard Buckman (Napier Technical).
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports v Napier Old Boys Marist:
3, Karl Bloxham (Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports); 2, Danny Logan (Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports); 1, Reece O'Leary (NOBM).
MAC v Taradale:
3, Whetu Barber (MAC); 2, Everard Reid (MAC); 1, Hayden Topping (Taradale). Tamatea v Clive:
3, Henare Harris (Tamatea); 2, Hamiora Rowlands (Tamatea); 1, Ray Karauria (Clive).Hastings Rugby and Sports v Central:
3, James Rosenberg (Hastings Rugby and Sports); 2, Mark Ioane (Hastings Rugby and Sports); 1, Stu Smith (Central).10 points:
Hamiora Rowlands (Tamatea), Whetu Barber (MAC).
Havelock North v Napier Technical:
3, Adam Bradey (Havelock North); 2, Emmanuel Maui (Havelock North); 1, Junior Armstrong (Havelock North).7 points:
Karl Bloxham (Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports), Jean-Pierre Liebenberg (MAC), Jarrod Edwards (MAC), Pama Petia (Hastings Rugby and Sports).