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MAFIA TEES
Just $20 a shirt, a steal!
Not often you steal from the Mafia and live to tell the tale...
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Fan-tastic chance to profit from more Eden Park glory |
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Written by the Fired up Fan in the Stand
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Wednesday, 04 October 2006 |
 NOW I am not a betting Fan but I believe that the nice TAB people will pay $9 for every $1 wagered should our beloved Bay prove victorious on Saturday evening.
This is hugely generous of them and it would be rude of us not to take advantage of their kind offer.
Of course Auckland is a good rugby team. But they are a team with a single game plan that consists of hard running, offloading and quick ruck ball.
They also select Tasesa Lavea at first-five so our boys' cause is definitely not hopeless.
In our first meeting with them, the Bay shocked Auckland with a couple of tries and a 20-6 lead. This forced the referee to remove a couple of our players to even up the game and led to our eventual defeat to the aforementioned single game plan.
I am no expert but I have come up with a Steamers game plan that can bring us success.
1 - Do not, on any account, give Auckland the ball.
2 - If they do happen to get the ball, make every tackle and knock them backwards in the tackle. See point 4.
3 - Contest every ruck, maul, scrum and line-out fiercely. See point 4.
4 - Feed Nili Latu raw meat all week.
There is a sense that for the Bay fans, the Air New Zealand Cup begins this weekend.
I suspect most Auckland ``fans'' - not really known for their die-hard, cheer-til-you-drop supporting habits - will hold on to their cash and wait for the upcoming semifinal.
The Bay Brigade, meanwhile, will be out in force and we will once again be looking to take over the terraces, as we did in 2004.
The focal point will be our legendary ex-mascot and the plan is to make Auckland fans feel they are away from home.
On Thursday, Manawatu certainly showed that it is possible to draw a crowd even if you have just a single drawn game to show for the season.
They had backline moves more complex than RiverDance but luckily not all of their players knew the steps.
The Fan was strangely comforted by the bumbling way we proceeded to our win. There was no chance of leaving our best form in Palmerston North when we need it at Eden Park this weekend.
Five reasons to be cheerful
Into the last eight of the Air New Zealand Cup
A chance of a home final against Southland (ask the TAB for the odds on that outcome!)
Mike Delany may be fit to return.
Anthony (It's a possum) Tahana is a TV star.|
Colin Bourke dotting down. Let's see him win a Super 14 spot on Saturday.
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Buy "If Only No More" |
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Steamers 2009 |
| : Air New Zealand Cup |
| Position: 7 |
| 31 July: Northland, W 19-14 |
| 9 Aug: Counties, W 32-9 |
| 15 Aug: Wellington, W 21-17 |
| 22 Aug: Waikato, W 32-16 |
| 30 Aug: Auckland, L 14-29 |
| 5 Sep: Canterbury, W 19-17 |
| 11 Sep: Southland, L 12-19 |
| 17 Sep: Tasman, W 24-13 |
| 26 Sep: Otago, L 17-26 |
| 2 Oct: Hawke's Bay, L 19-22 |
| 10 Oct: Harbour, L 7-28 |
| 16 Oct: Manawatu, W 28-27 |
| 25 Oct: Taranaki, L 24-30 |
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News and Opinion 
