"I think we were probably a bit shell-shocked with the step up. But we responded well towards the end of the first half and in the second half. It was 15-8 right up until the last five minutes, and Whaka scored two late tries."
He said they were still developing as a premier side but were improving each week.
"My backline really stepped up on Saturday as they came to grips with the calibre of premier rugby. So heaps of positives."
He said there was a lot to work on but most of it was just small things.
"I had 21 bullet points of little areas we need to work on but they are all fixable."
He said it was great to have a big crowd for the fixture with Whaka versus Waikite matches carrying a lot of history. "It was like the days of old. The place was full and all in all it was a great day."
In the other matches on Saturday, Rotoiti beat Marist St Michael's 78-7 at home and Kahukura defeated Ngongotaha 10-0 at the Ngongotaha Domain.
This coming weekend will see Rotorua's best two sides Rotoiti and Whaka doing battle at Puarenga Park.
Club results on Saturday:
-Central Bay of Plenty local round:
Waikite 8 Whakarewarewa 29
Rotoiti 78 Marist St Michael's 7
Ngongotaha 0 Kahukura 10
-Eastern Bay of Plenty local round:
Opotiki 37 Te Teko 10
Paroa 44 Ruatoki 8
Whakatane Marist 38 vs Poroporo 31
-Western Bay of Plenty local round:
Greerton 24 Te Puke Sports 32
Tauranga Sports 60 Rangataua 22
Te Puna 21 Mt Maunganui 22
