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Otago Daily Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
From boxing to rugby league - and now the beautiful game
Sports journo Sam Coughlan has been in the boxing ring, trained with champion rugby league team Hornby Panthers and today he reports on his session with Christchurch United. Not that roundball is foreign to him – he is a fairly useful goalkeeper in his own right. Who plays football at seven in the morning? That was my exact thought as I arrived at the United Sports Centre in Yaldhurst with the sky still dark and the birds are yet to start chirping. Pummelled by the Panthers 'Some pretty hefty punches' To make matters worse, I was told we would not be training on the two artificial turfs the club owns. Instead, we head for the dewy, soggy grass fields at the back of the facility, to help the team prepare for their pre-season clash in Blenheim the next day. That came back to bite me. Midway through a quick six-a-side game, I tried to change direction and ended up on my backside. I was more nervous for this session than others I've joined for this series. With other codes, I had no expectations going in, but football's a different story. I've played since I was six, so part of me hoped I could hold my own. Fortunately, I didn't feel totally out of place – even at a club like United, who finished third in the Southern League last year and won it the two seasons before. I leaned on my years of experience to try to keep up. That said, being a goalkeeper hasn't exactly prepared me for the amount of running, passing and shooting outfield players do. Keepers, you know what I mean. It was quick, really quick. One drill had us in a tight space with two defenders trying to win possession from five attackers. I got caught out a few times trying to play the ball under pressure. Later, we moved to shooting drills and with plenty of encouragement from my new teammates, I managed to find the back of the net past goalkeeper Ben Graney on a couple of occasions, exchanging passes with another player before being sent through on goal. It's not something I'm used to. By my calculations, the last outdoor goal I scored was back in primary school. While I didn't quite earn myself a contract offer from head coach Ryan Edwards, I'm confident I didn't completely embarrass myself. Hopefully. But it wasn't all close control and clinical finishing. In a seven-a-side game to finish the session, I found myself one-on-one with the keeper again, only to smash my shot into the crossbar. That's also when I lost my footing on the wet grass trying to turn quickly. Classic. Thankfully for my ego, there didn't seem to be any sense of frustration at my lack of skill, or questions of 'who is this guy?' Just a few smiles and, I suspect, a collective effort to stay in the reporter's good books. Smart lads. Surprisingly, the early start didn't feel so bad by the end of the training session. I had done a solid hour of exercise, and it wasn't even 8.30am yet. Maybe these morning workouts aren't such a terrible idea after all.
Otago Daily Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Code-hopping Panthers hooker becomes a Magpie
Hornby Panthers hooker Joel Lam has joined Souths Logan Magpies in Brisbane. PHOTO: SIDELINE PHOTOGRAPHS Hornby Panthers hooker Joel Lam has continued his switch from rugby union to league, joining Brisbane club Souths Logan Magpies. The 22-year-old former halfback played two games for the Panthers this season after making the code change. Lam previously captained Burnside in the Metro rugby competition, was part of the Crusaders academy and earned one Super Rugby cap. Panthers head coach Corey Lawrie wished Lam the best, saying he had been great to work with. 'The second game (for the Panthers) he played real well. Some real big carries for us towards the end of the game,' he said. 'He's a bit of a competitor, I think that's his best attribute.' Lawrie expects Lam, who left Christchurch last week, to start in the Magpies' reserve team, which is still at a higher level than the Canterbury competition. 'He'll start with the BRL, which is one below Queensland Cup, which is probably a couple of levels above our premier grade. 'He might get a shot this year, if he plays a couple of Q Cup games, he'd take that as a success.' While excited to watch Lam's next chapter unfold, Lawrie says his absence is being felt as the Panthers battle injuries. 'We could do with him right now. That's the way the system goes, just lacking a wee bit of firepower.'
Otago Daily Times
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Pummelled by the Panthers
Sports reporter Sam Coughlan is a footballer who plays in goal, so we decided to take him out of his comfort zone. In the second of a series, he trained with Hornby Panthers, the defending Canterbury Rugby League champions. It's a dreadful evening for training at Hornby's Leslie Park home ground – the rain is bucketing down, making both ball and field slick and slippery. Sports reporter enters the boxing ring My first act is to try and kick a goal from the sideline. As a footballer, it's the one thing I thought I could do well, but my shot falls miserably short although the direction was good. After a short warm-up we get into some passing drills, running up and down the field. Sounds easy? I thought so. That was until a full-contact drill had me charging at speed into four defenders, prompting head coach Corey Lawrie to remind the team I haven't played rugby league before. Copping a shoulder in the cheek on my first run makes me regret my decision not to bother with a mouthguard. I fear for my teeth if I take another heavy hit and I'm thankful to have the soft, muddy ground to cushion my fall. Welcome to the Panthers! Even in the pouring rain, the standard was clear – sharp runs, crisp passes and total focus for the duration of the drills. Except, of course, for the one guy who didn't know where to stand or run or what position he was playing. That's me, in case it wasn't clear. It's an unusual feeling – I'm used to running around on a muddy field, but this is with ball in hand rather than at feet. The team is welcoming and happy to instruct me, where they can, on what I need to do to get more involved. The Panthers were going through attacking formations and moves in preparation for their match, a repeat of last season's grand final with the Halswell Hornets, but with calls of 'wedge', 'China', and 'diamond' around me, I am dumbfounded. Hooker Kyan Rosie throws me a lifeline: 'Just run it up,' he says, tossing me the ball. I obey, only to sprint straight into a brick wall. It hurts, but not much. I can tell they aren't tackling the newbie at 100%, because I'm sure I'd be in a lot more pain. In the end, the only bruise is to my ego after feeling mostly useless for the best part of 90-minutes. I make it out alive with no broken bones, all my teeth intact, and a whole new respect for those who spend their Saturdays smashing into each other and rolling in mud. I'll take that as a win – my influence clearly inspired the Panthers, who won their next game 22-12.
