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Home / Northern Advocate / Sport

Stacey to join party at Jubilee

Northern Advocate
4 Mar, 2010 01:49 AM4 mins to read

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Former Warriors star Awen Guttenbeil played his first game of rugby league for Portland at age  3, proudly taking the field in the  Panthers' colours
Thirty years on, he will line up against his old club at Jubilee Park this weekend as player-coach of the Pt Chev Pirates.
And he won't be
the only star in the side.
His old Warriors team mate Stacey Jones will also be taking the field and hopes to line up a few more friends later in the season
"We've called in a few friends - former Warriors Monty Betham, Wairangi Koopu and sevens player Karl TeNana to play for us - and while they can't play for us every weekend, just having them in the team lifts the guys, some of who may only have seen them play on TV."
Added to this, entertainer Peter Urlich, originally from Kaitaia, is managing the premier side, while the Mad Butcher Peter Leitch was on the fundraising bandwagon for the club. Not a bad line up for a team that finished at the bottom of division three of Auckland Rugby League's Premier Competition last year.
While the Betham, Koopu and Te Nana were not confirmed for this weekend's pre-season hit out at Jubilee Park, Jones would be putting his boots back on.
Guttenbeil will wait to see how his "old bones" felt before deciding whether to play against his old club Portland. "I've always wanted to bring a team up to Whangarei to play and we're really looking forward to it. This will be the perfect opportunity for team bonding as well," he said.
Guttenbeil moved away from his mother's hometown as a youngster to Auckland where he joined the Point Chevalier Rugby League Club.
He played school boy footy alongside Jones, before going on to stamp his claim on the professional league scene.
The former Kiwi and Tongan international, and NRL league star, returned to Pt Chev with the recently retired Jones, to coach the premier Pt Chev Pirates side this year.
"Stacey and I played together at Pt Chev as school boys, then left to play professional football straight out of school.
"This is the first year we have been able to give something give back to the club. I'm really enjoying being involved," Guttenbeil said.
"League clubs (not just Pt Chev) around New Zealand struggle for funds and numbers. It's hard to run a club at this level, where you are presented with all sorts of challenges, such as the lack of resources available - especially coming from a professional background. It was a perfect opportunity for us to come in and help out, and raise the profile of the club and sport."
Pt Chev did not have the best season last year, finishing last in the Phelan Shield, division three of Auckland Rugby League's Premier Competition, but Guttenbeil and Jones have bigger and better things in mind for 2010.
"We started training before Christmas and we've have had a couple of trial games, and will bring two teams to Whangarei to play our last trial on Saturday against Portland. Hopefully we can improve this year," Guttenbeil said.
The chance to play Pt Chev was being embraced by the Portland Panthers and their coach Craig Bird, who were also looking for a huge season.
"It is a great chance to promote the game and a good opportunity for our boys to have a run ahead of this year's competition (starting April 24). ," Bird said.
The first trial game at Jubilee Park kicks off on Saturday, at 1pm, followed by the second match at 2.30pm.

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