Green machine Hamilton Marist win Waikato Breweries Shield

Hamilton Marist are the 2024 Waikato Breweries Shield champions. Photo / Matt Jackson

On top of their Colts’ four-peat, Hamilton Marist Rugby Club Premier team have claimed the coveted Waikato Breweries Shield for the first time since 2015.

In a rematch of the 2023 final, Marist got revenge on Cambridge-based Hautapu by beating them 22-8 at Marist Park last Saturday.

This is the 10th time the club have won the shield since it was first contested in 1967.

They won back-to-back premierships in 2002-2003 and had a hat-trick of Breweries Shield wins from 2013-2015.

Marist didn’t just win the competition though, they dominated, going through the 2024 season unbeaten.

In their 15 outings, the team scored 727 points and conceded 265 – a points differential of 462.

It’s been a successful 12 months for the green machine, after also opening Waikato’s first artificial turf playing surface.

Director of rugby Paul Martin is over the moon for his club, which celebrated its centenary in 2023.

“It’s pretty exciting, it was a long time between drinks. Having fallen short last year, agonisingly close. I’ve won two Breweries Shield finals – 1994 and 2002. It’s an accumulation of a lot of hard work, some guys have been at the club for a long time,” Martin said.

“It means a lot to the club supporters, the older guys who have won in the past and, obviously, to all the coaches, players and supporters.”

The winning Premier season was on top of the Colts’ fourth championship in a row, with a fairly new 2024 squad.

“A lot of the Colts players are coming up through the club to our premiers. We also had two other semifinals with the Under-85kg and Premier Bs,” Martin said.

“Last year we were in five finals – we won Div 2 and Colts. This is all probably an accumulation of two hard years, and we’ve been very successful on and off the field. There’s been a lot of hard work put in by the committee, club members, extended sub-committees, players and coaches.”

Their Premier team have players named in three 2024 Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship sides with Gabe Robinson, Bailyn Sullivan, James Tucker and Mason Tupaea also named in the Waikato NPC team.

“There’s been a lot of success in our player depth, we’ve been through 43 Premier players this year and nine front-rowers,” Martin said.

“It just shows that to be successful, you’ve got to have a lot of depth and a good environment. Our development side have had 40 players as well. There’s a range of movements of player management and player welfare. There’s a lot of focus on that.”

Martin’s former Hamilton Marist, Waikato and Chiefs teammate Matthew Cooper was also named New Zealand Rugby president this month.

“We’re really proud about that. I’m in my second year as director of rugby and it’s quite special having played with Matthew, to be able to pass on my congratulations to him and his family,” Martin said.

“That sort of thing doesn’t happen often, from this region there’s only been two NZR presidents – it’s special for our club.”

Martin would like to thank all the past Hamilton Marist players, management and coaches.

“Our committee deserves a shout-out too; they’ve done a lot of hard work. Our coaches and managers of all grades have done a really wonderful job in providing a really good environment for our players to be able to develop and succeed.

“A massive thanks to our Marist community.”

Hamilton Marist – Waikato Breweries Shield victories:

1972, 1980, 1983, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2024.

2024 Premier coaching staff:

Head coach: Craig Walters

Forwards coach: Tom Martin

Backs coach: Warren Hodges

Assistant coach: Geoff Burgess

Manager: Matt Palmer

Assistant manager: Paul Burborough

Director of rugby/scrum coach: Paul Martin

Physio: Shane Derry.

2024 representative players:

Blues: Mason Tupaea

King Country: Eli Winders

Hurricanes: Bailyn Sullivan, James Tucker

Māori All Blacks: Bailyn Sullivan, Mason Tupaea (uncapped)

New Zealand Harlequins: Zach Coffey, Liam Gilheany-Black, Jamie Macartney, Shauncy Waho, Adrien Wharawhara

New Zealand Under-20: Tai Cribb, Will Martin

Ngāti Porou East Coast: Leigh Bristowe

Thames Valley: Mosese Mafi, Fletcher Morgan, Leroy Van Dam

Waikato Colts Divisional XV: Levi Cressy-Baggott, Fusi Po’uli, Alex Pollock, Fe’ofa Tupou

Waikato NPC: Gabe Robinson, Bailyn Sullivan, James Tucker, Mason Tupaea

Waikato Under-85kg: Kyle Martin, Johannes Senekal.

Waikato Under-19 squad is yet to be named.

Jesse Wood is a multimedia journalist based in Te Awamutu. He joined the Te Awamutu Courier and NZME in 2020.