KEAS SEEKING PRELIM REVENGE IN ROUND 2 SHOWDOWN WITH HORNETS
A rematch of the 2024 preliminary final, a Wingham Park showdown between two opening-weekend winners and the first Thacker Shield challenge of the season headline Round 2 of the CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership.
Halswell Hornets halted Linwood Keas’ bid for a 10th straight grand final appearance – and booked a spot in the Pat Smith Trophy decider for the first time in a decade – with a 26-18 prelim boilover at Linwood Park eight months ago.
Heightening the anticipation for this Saturday’s replay at the same venue is the fact both teams are coming off Round 1 losses.
Ray Hubbard’s Hornets went down 22-6 in their grand final rematch with Hornby Panthers at Halswell Domain, while Andrew Auimatagi’s return as Keas coach was marked by an 18-14 loss to the fast-finishing Greymouth Greyhounds on the West Coast.
The Greyhounds go into Round 2 with their tails up ahead of another home game against Riccarton Knights, who grafted out a 24-12 win over Eastern Eagles at Wainoni Park last weekend.
The Knights have a substantial point to prove in their return to Wingham Park – they were humbled 40-0 by the Greyhounds there last season before going on to make the finals.
Meanwhile, the Panthers host the Eagles in the defending premiers’ first home fixture of 2025, with the Thacker Shield also going on the line for the first time this season.
Last season, the Eagles pulled off a rare victory at Leslie Park, 16-10 in Round 5, before the Panthers responded with a 28-16 win at Wainoni Park later in the campaign.
All three CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership matches kick off at 2.45pm, preceded by the corresponding ISC Sports Canterbury Cup fixtures at 1pm.
The Keas are Hornets are both aiming to go 2-0, the Greyhounds and Papanui Tigers will look to open their 2025 win accounts in Greymouth, and the defending champion Eagles are searching for their second victory against the winless Panthers.
In Division One, Shirley Hawks have the opportunity to go 2-0 when they take on Round 1 losers the Knights at Crosbie Park (1pm), and the returning Celebration Lions will aim to mark their first match at Cuthberts Green with a win over the Hornets (1pm) after making a statement by beating 2024 champs Northern Bulldogs last week.
The Bulldogs are at Murphy Park again in Round 2, striving to bounce back against Burnham Chevaliers (1pm), who went down to the Hawks in their opening assignment.
Addington Magpies beat the Hornets in Round 1 and take on the Eagles at Spreydon Domain this Saturday (2.45pm).
2025 CRL WHITEHEAD PLUMBING AND GAS MEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 2 SCHEDULE (2.45pm kick-offs)
Linwood Keas v Halswell Hornets @ Linwood Park
Hornby Panthers v Eastern Eagles @ Leslie Park
Greymouth Greyhounds v Riccarton Knights @ Wingham Park
2025 CRL ISC SPORTS CANTERBURY CUP PREMIER RESERVES – ROUND 2 SCHEDULE (1pm kick-offs)
Linwood Keas v Halswell Hornets @ Linwood Park
Hornby Panthers v Eastern Eagles @ Leslie Park
Greymouth Greyhounds v Papanui Tigers @ Wingham Park
2025 CRL DIVISION ONE – ROUND 2 SCHEDULE
Riccarton Knights v Shirley Hawks @ Crosbie Park – 1pm
Celebration Lions v Halswell Hornets @ Cuthberts Green – 1pm
Northern Bulldogs v Burnham Chevaliers @ Murphy Park – 1pm
Addington Magpies v Eastern Eagles @ Spreydon Domain – 2.45pm
