Acknowledgments to the NZ Rugby Almanack Franchise:
2024
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Results 2024
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West Coast almost repeated their Lochore Cup triumph of last year. In the final against King Country, the Coast scored an 80th-minute try to level the match at 34-all. But the conversion to win the match hit the left-hand upright and rebounded away. In the required 20 minutes of extra time, West Coast eventually went down 44–46 in a thriller.
The 46 tries and 324 points scored were West Coast’s best ever tallies in a Heartland Championship season, and the four wins, six loss record could well have been improved upon. The match against Wairarapa Bush was a classic game of two halves. West Coast led 24–5 at halftime after scoring three excellent tries but eventually lost 31–38. There was a one-point loss (round robin) and a one-point win (semi-final) against Horowhenua Kapiti, and West Coast pushed the formidable South Canterbury side — on 38 consecutive wins prior to the match— to 38–43 scoring six tries.
The season was a personal triumph for Troy Tauwhare. At the conclusion of the season he had taken his tally of appearances for West Coast to 108, and number of tries scored to 29, both new records for the union. He was in brilliant form at hooker and his efforts for his team were monumental, scoring seven tries to top the table while continuing to serve as assistant coach.
Newcomer Ben Alexander started every game at loosehead prop and seemed to handle the rigours of Heartland rugby well. Fellow prop Jesse MacRae played his 50th game in the opening match. Lock Tumama Tu’ulua captained the side, his ball-winning ability in the lineout was great value and he also showed good mobility around the field.
West Coast had a fine set of loose forwards in Gordie Lloyd, Caleb Karangaroa, Ethan Simpson and Jack Rea. They all had their moments and worked well together. Jack Rea looked very promising and made the NZ Heartland Under 20 team.
Seasoned halfback and assistant coach Jared Mitchell serviced his backline quickly and Jacob Waikari-Jones was a very good acquisition on loan. The first five-eighth was in excellent goalkicking form, his 34 conversions was a new season record for Wes Coast and his six conversions against Horowhenua Kapiti in the semi-final equalled their match record.
At second five-eighth, Jarel Hemehema caused all sorts of problems for the opposition, scoring five tries with his strong running, while wingers Jaime Garland and Kane Parker were two good finishers, scoring four tries each
Roster 2024
| Position | PL | TR | CON | PEN | DG | ||
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Aloffagia (Tasi) Sone | Hooker | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Jesse MacRae | Prop | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Benjamin Alexander | Prop | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Tumama Tu'ulua | Lock | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Caleb Karangaroa | Flanker | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Ethan T.G. Simpson | Lock | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Gordie Lloyd | Lock | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Jared Mitchell | Fullback | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Jacob Waikari-Jones | First Five | 10 | 2 | 34 | 8 | 0 |
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Jack Sheridan | Centre | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Jarel Hemehema | Fullback | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Jaime Kearns | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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Richard Kaisia | Centre | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Mitchell Tapp | Hooker | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Toby Hanrahan-Kennett | Fullback | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Arnie Gibbens | Lock | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Adam Friend | Lock | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Daniel Foord | Prop | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Murphy Kupe | Prop | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Tamatautonu Faitotonu | No. 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Troy Tauwhare | Hooker | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Henare Mason | Scrum Half | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Daniel Davis | Prop | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Logan Winter (Takurua) | Flanker | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Nick Hyde | Hooker | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Nick Foxley | Centre | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Oliver Robb | Scrum Half | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Kane Parker | Fullback | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Quinn Johnsen | Hooker | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Robert Brocklehurst | Lock | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Jack Rea | Flanker | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Carlos Thomson | Winger | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Nathan Booker | Centre | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Sean R. McClure | Centre, Winger | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Jaime Garland | First Five | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |



