Flashback Friday: Red-hot start lifts Keas to victory over Panthers in 2016 grand final
As the greatest modern rivalry in Canterbury Rugby League resumes in Round 6 of the CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership this weekend, Flashback Friday marks 10 years since Linwood Keas and Hornby Panthers began their extraordinary run of grand final showdowns.
A devastating first-half performance from the Keas laid the platform for a convincing 29-10 defeat of the Panthers in the 2016 CRL grand final at Rugby League Park.
Linwood scored the first five tries of the match inside 25 minutes, and although Hornby clawed back bravely to score the only two tries thereafter, it wasn’t enough to prevent the Keas from securing their first premiership since 2008.
Winger William Yeow, halves duo Daniel Hartley and Toi Sepuloni, and back-rowers Matt Sauni and Michael Nicholls-Cane all crossed during the early onslaught as the Keas raced to a 28-0 lead.
Hornby received some belated respite at the half-hour mark as winger Tauvale Tauvale powered over in the corner, but that was the only addition to the scoreboard until the 68th minute, when Panthers winger Sonny Karena scoring off a short ball from skipper Corey Lawrie.
Hartley sealed the result with six minutes left, snapping a field goal to give Linwood a 19-point buffer. The Keas’ rapturous celebrations were partly a reflection of the team’s heartbreaking extra-time loss to Papanui in the previous year’s decider.
“(Linwood) has been the benchmark for the last two years,” Lawrie said post-match.
“They played the best 40 minutes I’ve seen for a long time, and hats off to a team that can play like that.”
Linwood captain Aga Fiso was lost for words during his victory speech, but paid tribute to the clubs’ supporters, juniors and families for their part in the Keas’ triumph.
“It doesn’t feel real, it’s been a lot of hard work,” Fiso said.
Keas coach and club stalwart Andrew Auimatagi summed up the mixture of elation and relief after guiding the club to a premiership for the first time.
“We’ve been through a lot of tough stuff but we’ve hung together as a club,” Auimatagi said.
“Everyone does their bit and we all look out for each other.”
Erwin Sauni was awarded the Mel Cooke Trophy as the standout player of the grand final.
Linwood and Hornby would face off six of the next seven grand finals, with the Keas prevailing in 2017-19 and 2022-23, and the Panthers carving out a memorable victory in 2021.
Linwood Keas 29 (William Yeow, Daniel Hartley, Matthew Sauni, Toimoana Sepuloni, Michael Nicholls-Cane tries; Hartley 4 goals; Hartley field goal) defeated Hornby Panthers (Tauvale Tauvale, Sonny Karena tries; James Baxendale goal) at AMI Stadium, Addington, 2.00pm, September 4, 2016. Halftime: Linwood 28-6. Goalkickers: Dylan Hartley (Linwood) 4 from 5; James Baxendale (Hornby) 1 from 2. Referees: Adam Burns and Steve Toms. Touch Judges: Jason Wilson and Gary Smallridge. In Goal Touch Judges: Daryl Mataiti and Owen Harvey.
LINWOOD KEAS: Shane Bowden, William Yeow, Erwin Sauni, Phillip Wahnig, Danny Latu, Daniel Hartley, Toimoana Sepuloni (vc), Chris Bamford, Alani Kakoi, Alex Todd, Jiordan Fidow-Kele, Matthew Sauni, Michael Nicholls-Cane. Interchange: Paul Sauni (c), Agaese Fiso (c), Siona Tuiloma, Iuma Mulitalo. Coach: Andrew Auimatagi.
HORNBY PANTHERS: Dene Grace, Tauvale Tauvale, Craig Smith, Eugene Spooner, Sonny Karena, Sean Spooner (vc), Tevin Arona, Caleb Tohovaka, James Hawkins, Nick Stewart, Jesse Rogers, Corey Lawrie (c), James Baxendale. Interchange: David Tongotongo, Tyrone Arona, Paradise Mann, Damien Papuni. Coach: Jed Lawrie.
