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“We had a goal to get the threepeat this year. We’re excited about it, hopefully not too excited and we don’t lose our composure really. “The last three years we’ve knocked Varsity out in the playoffs. There’s not going to be a team that wants it more. Hopefully that doesn’t trump our threepeat.” He said Feilding had a strong team with good culture. “[Varsity are] a good side and we know it's going to be a nail-biter. We know it’s going to come down to moments and both teams are experienced in those moments. Hopefully it goes our way.”

He said he hoped for third time lucky in this year’s final. Lock Micaiah Torrance-Read, who missed the semifinal with an Achilles problem, could be back for the final. COB coach Bryan Matenga said it was disappointing to miss out, but Varsity were clinical. He said they didn’t execute their game plan in a poor first half, but he was proud of his side falling just short. Varsity were slow to start and after conceding two early tries, one a 50-metre intercept by COB flanker Elyjah Crosswell, looked off the pace. But Varsity wing TamaToa Ropati scored an intercept try of his own before ...

Nesdale’s son Gary said Nesdale was a salt-of-the-earth type. “He didn't care whether you were the prime minister or the street sweeper, as long as you were a good bastard. “It didn't matter what you did, who you were or what your race, religion or colour was, it was good bastard or bad bastard.” Nesdale played for the Kimbolton club before the Ōroua sub-union became the Ōroua club. Ōroua’s golden era was in the 1960s, winning the Hankins Shield from 1963-66 and in 1968. At times there were six Nesdales in the team. In recent years he became the club’s kaumātua and would...

Feilding Yellows are on track to turn their season into a golden one now they are two games away from a three-peat Hankins Shield triumph.

Te Kawau appear to have a Hankins Shield semifinal in their gunsights after comfortably beating Kia Toa.