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For just the second time in the Heartland Championship West Coast contested the top four Meads playoffs. The daunting semi-final away to top qualifier Mid Canterbury was a memorable match, with the home side scoring first. West Coast responded and led 13-7 at halftime, then Mid Canterbury went out to 21-13. When Rowan O’Gorman scored in the 78th minute West Coast were in front again 25-21  but Willie McGoon scored for Mid Canterbury in the 80th minute for the heartbreaking denouement.

Fullback Robert Thomson was a penetrative runner. Maleli Mudu was elusive on the wing and midfield pairing of Andrew Connors and Mark Moore was strong, with Moore penetrative hard to bring down. Tim Priest excelled wih the boot at first five-eighth, both for goal and out of hand. Priest also took over the captaincy in the second half of the season. He received a good service from halfback Nick Makea.

The most influential figure in the forwards was the outstanding loosie Rowan O’Gorman. He started at blindside flanker and finished at number eight. The reason for the shift was the season ending broken hand Suamalie Tuiletufuga suffered. Until that blow, the big number eight had been a strong runner off the back of the scrum. Alan Monk was consistent at flanker and gained NZ Heartland selection. The locks Josh Manning and Kalave Auali’itia ruled the line-outs and were probably the best lineout pair in the Heartland Championship. Front rowers captain Troy Tauwhare and Heroshi Tea toiled away upfront, and it was unfortunate the captain had his season end at the halfway point through concussion.

New coach Alan Lindsay and his assistant Sean Cuttance were both Christchurch based, and seven players came from Canterbury as well. They used 29 representatives, of which 12 were new to the red and white including Nick Makea and Kevin Moore, both previously having played for Buller, and Heroshi Tea and Andrew Williams, both being Samoan test players. Beau Cain , Jason Wright, Joshua Hill had last played for West Coast in 2011 and Andrew Connor in 2010. Jason Wright and and Andrew Connors shared the Player of Origin spot.

The Seddon Shield made an overdue return to the Coast after an interval of 33 years. Last won (and lost) in 1980, it was regained in dramatic fashion 14-12 on August 17 from Nelson Bays with a last minute 30m drop goal in the rain from Tim Priest.

Higher honours went to:
New Zealand Heartland: Monk, Priest, Tauwhare

WEST COAST REPRESENTATIVES 2013

			Position	PL
	Alan.B.Monk		Flanker	11
	Andrew.D.Connors		Centre, Winger	6
	Andrew.J.Williams		Hooker	5
	Beau.L.Cain		Winger	7
	Brad.G.Houston		Flanker, Lock	10
	Darcy.J.Ralph		Lock	4
	David.J.Crouchley		Prop	11
	Greg.P.Crampton		Prop	2
	Heroshi Tea		Prop	11
	Jason Wright		Winger	5
	Josh "JJ" Manning		Lock	11
	Josh.W.J.Costello		Fullback	2
	Joshua Hill		Flanker	10
	Kalave Auali'itia		Lock	11
	Kevin.J.Curtis		Flanker	7
	Kevin.M.Moore		First Five, Winger	6
	Maleli Mudu		Winger	7
	Mark .D.Maitland		Fullback	2
	Nathan.L.Smith		Centre, First Five	2
	Nick Makea		Scrum Half	11
	Nikolas.G. 'Nik' Davy		Flanker, Scrum Half, Winger	8
	Phillip Leon 'Phil' Thomson		First Five	7
	Rob Thomson		Fullback, No. 8, Winger	8
	Rowan.P.O'Gorman		Flanker, Hooker	10
	Ryan.P.Kennedy		Prop	7
	Sean.R. McClure		Centre, Winger	11
	Suamalie Tuiletufuga		No. 8	8
	Tim.C.Priest		First Five	11
	Troy Tauwhare		Hooker	7

Click the date {eg: 17 May, 2:30pm} for Match details

Click the Opponent {eg: Buller } for full ‘Head 2 Head’ details

Results 2013

Sat 19 Oct	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship	Mid Canterbury	28 - 25	Match Center
Sat 12 Oct	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship	Whanganui	24 - 25	Match Center
Sat 05 Oct	2:30 pm	H	Heartland Championship	North Otago	22 - 32	Match Center
Sat 28 Sep	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship	Thames Valley	18 - 33	Match Center
Sat 21 Sep	2:30 pm	H	Heartland Championship	East Coast	15 - 11	Match Center
Sat 14 Sep	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship	South Canterbury	25 - 30	Match Center
Sat 07 Sep	2:30 pm	H	Heartland Championship	Poverty Bay	30 - 14	Match Center
Sat 31 Aug	2:30 pm	A	Heartland Championship	Wairarapa Bush	32 - 12	Match Center
Sat 24 Aug	2:30 pm	H	Heartland Championship / Rundle Cup	Buller	23 - 17	Match Center
Sat 17 Aug	2:30 pm	A	Seddon Shield	Nelson Bays	12 - 14	Match Center
Sat 10 Aug	2:35 pm	A	Representative Match	Mid Canterbury	33 - 21	Match Center