Page 5 - Ed2 League Lens Draft 3

LIONS RULE AS NINES KICKSTART 2018
The Mt Albert Lions walked
away with their first piece of
silverware for 2018 ahead of
the SAS Fox Memorial
Premiership kicking off,
winning the Sportsafe ARL
Nines on Auckland’s Hibiscus
Coast in March.
Twelve Auckland clubs
participated, with the Te Atatu
Roosters, East Coast Bays
Barracudas, and Franklin Storm
all competing for the first
time.
In the Championship Grand
Final, a last-minute try to
Roydon Gillett pushed the
Lions over to seal a 20-14
victory over previous
champions, the Pt Chevalier
Pirates.
Mt Albert’s Reece Joyce, who
played a key role for them
throughout the tournament,
said the win was satisfying In the second-tier Plate final,
after a tough pre-season. the Howick Hornets overcame
the Franklin Storm, 24-20.
“Let’s hope it gives us some
confidence for the year ahead.
I think the boys came here not
expecting too much,” he said.
“The Nines was a chance
for the new boys to have
a run and earn their
jersey.”
“We just wanted to get a run
with our new combinations
since there are a lot of new
boys at the club.
“We definitely go back to
training with a spring in our
step now… the Nines was a
chance for the new boys to
have a run and earn their
jersey.”