Matariki Team 2023 - Pōhutukawa

Posted July 04, 2023
IHNZ News Matariki

Within the Matariki star cluster, Pōhutukawa  is the star that connects us to the deceased and is the reason people would cry out the names of the dead and weep when the star was seen rising in the early morning.

It is through Pōhutukawa that we remember those who have died in the past year. Pōhutukawa encourages us to hold tight to our memories of treasured people who have passed on, encourages us to take time to remember them, and to acknowledge their impact on our lives.

Sam Beardman leads the Pōhutukawa team consisting of:

• Scott Collins
• Dan O’Hanlon
• Kaleb Scott
• Josh McGinty
• Johnnie Andrews–Nye
• Connor Robertson
• Ruby Waghorn

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Sam Beardman has played for the New Plymouth Ravens, Wanganui Lightning and the Massey Titans.

Sam has coached local and international teams from a young age.

He has also represented both the Central and Lower North regions and New Zealand since he was 16 years old.

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Scott Collins is well known throughout the hockey community and has been a long standing member of the Auckland Sabres club for over 20 years and became National Champions in 2013. Scott has been a stalwart of the Northern Region Senior Men team, New Zealand Senior Men and more recently the Masters team who won the AAU Masters trophy in Hawaii, 2019.

Scott helmed the Super League 2014 and 2015 Champion sides and was an inaugural team member of the New Zealand Māori team in 2015.

After a move for work, Scott and the family are now located in the Lower North and is currently playing for the Wolves.

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Daniel O’Hanlon has loved hockey for over 20 years and has played and coached for many teams including the Force, Fury, Storm and Vipers.

He currently plays for the Vipers and recently led the 16U Northern Region team to gold at the 2021 InterRegionals.

Dan says he was honoured to play for New Zealand in 2019 and represented New Zealand in the Masters division.

Dan also plays Ice Hockey and in the AIHA Mens league and is well known for his mentoring and coaching of the younger players coming through the ranks.

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Josh McGinty plays for the U16 Vipers.

Josh had the privilege of representing Aotearoa at the 2023 Winter NARCh games in America, scoring New Zealand’s first goal for the U16s campaign.

Josh has been a Central Region Rep for a couple of seasons and is representing Kokako at this year’s Inter Conference championships.

Josh has had a lifelong mentor in his older cousin, Waihi Prem Johnnie Andrews-Nye - the Matariki Tournament provides a special opportunity for Josh and Johnnie to play together in the same team. Josh is proudly of Ngapuhi descent.

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Johnnie Andrews–Nye started playing hockey for the Waihi Miners at 8 years of age. Playing representative level hockey from 12 years of age he played for New Zealand in 16U in 2015 and then in 18U in 2016 (Assistant Captain) and 2017 (Captain).

Johnnie played for the Sabres Premier team in 2016 and won the Bauer Cup. He has played BHL Ice hockey from age 15 to 23 (winning one championship). He currently plays for Waihi Miners Premier Team.

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Connor Robertson has been playing for 15 years and coaching for the last 4 - all with the Hamilton Devils. Connor has represented New Zealand and the central region on multiple occasions.

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Ruby Waghorn has been playing inline hockey since she was 8 years old playing for the Hamilton Devils club for 7 years. She has represented the central region for Interregionals and New Zealand at NARChearlier this year.

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Kaleb Scott plays for the Ravens 16U team and has been playing Inline since U8s, and has represented central regional most years since. In January 2023 Kaleb represented New Zealand at the NARCh competition in Los Angeles.

Kaleb plays defence and enjoys the challenge of playing against the senior players to help develop his game.