CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING & GAS MEN’S PREMIERSHIP FINALS HOPEFULS STRAP IN FOR WILD ROUND 14 RIDE
The race for the 2024 CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership finals is going down to the wire, with coaches and supporters of several clubs sure to be nervously checking score updates from across town while watching their teams’ last-round clashes.
Only competition-leading Linwood Keas and last-placed Greymouth Greyhounds are guaranteed to finish the weekend in the same position they started.
Second-placed Hornby Panthers’ playoffs berth is guaranteed but they could finish as low as fourth, while Halswell Hornets, Riccarton Knights and Eastern Eagles are battling it out for the remaining two post-season slots – the trio could all land as high as second or miss out altogether.
The Panthers head over Alps to take on the Greyhounds at Wingham Park in Round 14, kicking off at 2.30pm. The Greyhounds will be primed to finish a highly encouraging debut season in CRL’s top flight with a flourish, having routed the Knights 40-0 in their last home game in Greymouth.
The Keas host the Knights, who are tied with the Hornets for third place but have an inferior for-and-against, while the Hornets and Eagles – one point back in fifth – face off in a massive encounter at Halswell Domain. Both games get underway at 2.45pm.
Here’s how each club’s finishing positions could shake out, depending on each combination of results (excluding draws, which would throw the Massetti Cup table into further disarray):
Linwood Keas (18 points, +112 for-and-against): Will finish first and collect the Massetti Cup – as well as a home major semi next week – regardless of the result in their Round 14 game against the Knights.
Hornby Panthers (15 points, +20): Will remain second with a win over the Greyhounds, but a loss would see the Panthers drop to third regardless of the Hornets-Eagles result and fourth if the Knights also win.
Halswell Hornets (14 points, +50): Will move to second with a win over the Eagles if the Panthers lose, and retain third if they win and the Panthers win. The Hornets will drop to fourth if they lose to the Eagles and the Knights lose to the Keas (assuming their losing margin is not 43 points more than the Knights’), while they will be bundled out of the finals if they lose and the Knights win.
Riccarton Knights (14 points, +8): A win over the Keas could see the Knights finish as high as second, if the Panthers and Hornets both lose. They will come third with a win if one of the Panthers or Hornets lose, and fourth if all three teams win. A loss would leave the Knights relying on the result of the Keas-Eagles match to retain fourth spot.
Eastern Eagles (13 points, +27): The in-form Eagles’ equation is the most straightforward – win and they’re in, lose and they’re not. But they will storm into second if the Panthers and Knights also lose, and third if one of those sides lose. A victory would see them leapfrog the Hornets and finish fourth if the Panthers and Knights also win.
Greymouth Greyhounds (4 points, -217): Will finish at the foot of the ladder – but with no shortage of admirers – win or lose against the Panthers.
The CRL ISC Sport Canterbury Cup’s top four is already settled, but the order is not.
Currently locked on 20 points, the Hornets and Eagles face off at Halswell Domain in a straight shootout for top spot. A draw would see the Eagles finish first due to their superior for-and-against.
The third-placed Panthers are eight points clear of the fourth-placed Papanui Tigers, but if the Panthers win the teams’ Greymouth-hosted encounter they could jump to second if the Hornets lose and there’s combined margin of 23 points or more in the two games (Hornby’s for-and-against is +96, Halswell’s is +118).
It’s purely pride on the line as the Keas and Knights square off at Linwood Park, though the winner will avoid last place. All three Premier Reserves matches get underway at 1pm.
With two rounds of the CRL Division One competition left, this Saturday’s schedule sees front-running Northern Bulldogs host the last-placed Tigers (1pm), the fifth-placed Shirley Hawks host the third-placed Woolston Rams in a key encounter (1pm), and Ashburton Barbarians looking to consolidate second in their home assignment against Addington Magpies (2pm).
Hornby Panthers, Sydenham Swans and Linwood Keas are all still in the mix for top spot in the CRL Bartercard Women’s Premiership with one round remaining.
The Panthers and Swans are tied for first on 15 points, with the Panthers ahead on for-and-against (+268 to +240). The defending champion Keas are one point back in third.
The Panthers and Keas square off at Linwood Park in the Round 10 headliner. The Keas would need a win and the Swans to lose to Woolston Rams to finish first.
Meanwhile, a win doesn’t quite guarantee the Panthers will retain top spot – the Swans would sneak ahead if their winning margin is 29 points greater.
The fifth-placed Rams have no shortage of motivation to spring an upset of the Swans at Woolston Park, however. A victory would see them move into a share of fourth spot if Burnham Chevaliers lose to Eastern Eagles at Coronation Park. There is a for-and-against difference of just eight points (in the Chevaliers’ favour) between the Chevaliers and Rams.
Sunday’s final-round fixtures all kick off at 1pm.
