Joint captains for Harold Matthews team
Like the club’s SG Ball Cup counterparts, the One New Zealand Warriors’ Harold Matthews Cup (under-17) side will have co-captains this year.
This is the first time the club has entered the New South Wales Rugby League’s renowned junior competition as it sets about building an all-encompassing pathways programme.
Guiding the Harold Matthews side in its debut season is former Ellerslie Eagles and Manurewa Marlins coach Thaine (TJ) Ashford.
At this week’s dual launch of the SG Ball and Harold Matthews seasons, he confirmed half Boston Krone and hooker Kaawyn Patterson as co-captains for the trailblazing campaign.
“They’ve been standouts in terms of leadership during the preseason,” said Ashford of the two 16-year-olds.
“The boys tend to listen whenever Boston and Kaawyn speak.
“Kaawyn has a calming influence on the boys. His footy IQ is right up there.
“And Boston brings a lot of energy and helps to drive our standards.”
Patterson and Krone have both been in the club’s academy system over the last 12 months.
Westlake Boys’ High School student Patterson captained an Auckland under-16 team on a tour to the Gold Coast last year and also led Auckland against the Rest of New Zealand.
Krone is an Auckland Grammar School pupil with a background in rugby union while he has also captained the school’s touch team.
The One New Zealand Warriors face the Parramatta Eels in Sydney on Sunday, February 4 in their opening match in the short-form competition. They have eight regular season matches aiming to make the top six for the finals series in April.
