Poverty Bay players, led by Shayde Skudder, perform a haka before their Heartland rugby match against Whanganui at the Damo's Day fundraiser held at Pātūtahi on Saturday. Each of the respective captains presented jerseys to the family of Damien Macpherson, one of the three men who lost their lives in a fishing tragedy off Māhia in June. The Bay also wore a special jersey featuring Damo's name, Poverty Bay representative career details and the green colour of his club Ngātapa, which hosted the event. Photo / Paul Rickard
Poverty Bay players, led by Shayde Skudder, perform a haka before their Heartland rugby match against Whanganui at the Damo's Day fundraiser held at Pātūtahi on Saturday. Each of the respective captains presented jerseys to the family of Damien Macpherson, one of the three men who lost their lives in a fishing tragedy off Māhia in June. The Bay also wore a special jersey featuring Damo's name, Poverty Bay representative career details and the green colour of his club Ngātapa, which hosted the event. Photo / Paul Rickard
“We wish we weren’t here, but we are.”
Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union chairman Hayden Swann summed up the atmosphere at Saturday’s “Damo’s Day” fundraising lunch and auction to support the families of the three men who died in a fishing tragedy off Māhia in June.
There were tributes, laughter and sadness as supporters packed Patutahi Community Hall in honour of Damien “Damo” Macpherson, Elwood Higgins and Taina Sinoti.
Friends hugged and comfort family members after the auction of rugby jerseys which raised $73,000.
Viv Macpherson, Damo’s widow, said the families had “been absolutely blown away” by the support.
Viv Macpherson, widow of Damien "Damo" Macpherson, and their children Madison and Harvey walk on to the Paddy's Park field to accept special jerseys from the captains of the Poverty Bay and Whanganui teams before their Heartland Championship game.
She could not thank every single person as “we would be here all night, just like Damien”.
The audience enjoyed the joke - the hall is next door to Ngātapa Rugby and Associated Sports Club, at which her referee husband was a member.
The strength of community support reflected “the magnitude of the men we have lost”, she said.
“May they rest in peace.”
The auction consisted of international jerseys and 23 special one-off Poverty Bay jerseys featuring the green and white stripes of Ngātapa.
The Poverty Bay jerseys included Damien Macpherson’s nickname (Damo), Poverty Bay number and other details.
His brothers - Brad and Karl - presented the jerseys to the Poverty Bay side to wear in their Heartland Championship fixture against Whanganui, played later that afternoon at the adjoining Paddy’s Park. The visitors won 47-36.
Damien Macpherson's twin brother Brad (left) and younger brother Karl present a playing jersey to Poverty Bay's James Higgins, a former member of Macpherson's Ngātapa club, before the Bay's Heartland Championship game against Whanganui. The 23 jerseys were auctioned off as part of the Damo's Day fundraiser.
Many of the Poverty Bay rep players knew all three deceased men, and all of them knew at least one.
The other jerseys auctioned included a jersey from each of the five New Zealand Super Rugby franchises.
The Hurricanes jersey raised the most at $3000, while the Chiefs brought up the rear at $1700.
A New Zealand Rugby Referees jersey featuring Macpherson’s refereeing details, also worn later in the Poverty Bay-Whanganui match, sold for $2300.
A Wallaby jersey, which despite supposedly having a reserve of $1, sold for $1400 while a Black Ferns jersey went for $1900.
An All Blacks jersey made $4500 ,while the number-one Poverty Bay jersey of the 23 sold for $5000.
The lunch and auction was preceded by a social match featuring local retired players in a “Damo’s 15″ side (playing in Ngātapa colours) against the Go Bus Bay Legends.
No, it's not an all-in. It's a mass rolling maul of virtually every player on the field to end the Damo's Day fundraiser game.
The other guest speakers were Blues Super Rugby-winning coach Vern Cotter, sports commentator and radio personality Hamish McKay and recently retired All Blacks hooker Dane Coles.
Coles told the Gisborne Herald he could not turn down an invitation from All Black, Poverty Bay and Ngātapa great Ian “Kirky” Kirkpatrick to attend the event.
He did not know any of the fishermen, “but I know Kirky pretty well, and he asked me. I’ve only been here [for] half an hour and I see how much the guys mean to the community”.
Coles brought his boots. ”But I’ve seen the playing numbers.”
