Bay rugby stalwart selects "Dream Team"
Skeet Barnett, selector of the Dream team
The recent publication of Pat Weir’s Golden Bay All Stars Netball team led to plenty of public comment. Several people felt moved to speculate about similar selections from other codes. The GB Weekly went to Skeet Barnett, a stalwart of Golden Bay rugby for more than 60 years, and laid down a challenge:
Name a team. It’s to be made up of the best players you’ve either played with, or played against or coached. Pick them at the peak of their form and in the position they played best in. You’re allowed six reserves (three forwards and three backs) and a manager. Here is Skeet’s “dream team”:
Fullback: Bill Taylor (captain)
Wing: Terry Mitchell
Centre: Alex Taylor
Wing: Pat Meyers
2nd 5/8th: Bill Kotua
1st 5/8th: Jim Bickley
Halfback: Barry Matheson
Number 8: Garth Prince (vice captain)
Flanker: Merv Little
Flanker: Jack Park
Lock: Allan Pomeroy
Lock: Doug Manson
Prop: Dave Mason
Hooker: Doug Simpson
Prop: Colin Baas
Reserves: Graham Little, John Curnow, John Allan,
Neville Howse, John Taylor and Shane Eggers.
Coach: Skeet Barnett
Manager: Gordon Little
“At their peak and pointed in the right direction, this team would hold their own with any NPC team today,” said Skeet. We’ve got an All Black, a couple of Maori All Blacks and some more blokes who could have gone right to the top if things had gone their way. There are two more players I’d like to have coached when they were in their prime too. John Solly was a terrific number 8 and could have gone a long way with the right kind of direction, and Brandon Sparrow had an enormous amount of potential. Of course he was the result of a Sparrow/Solly cross, so he definitely had it in the breeding. If I could have got him to take it seriously all the time, he’d have been in this team too.”
Skeet reckons that his team would have power all over the park.
“Look at them: strong forwards as tough as goats’ knees, inside backs with vision and plenty of time, and outside backs with speed to burn. The men off the bench give me plenty to play with too. We’d cut some capers all right!”
Neil Wilson
