Leon MacDonald reflects on Makos' season
Coach Leon MacDonald has overseen another successful Tasman Makos campaign.
Losing a second consecutive NPC final was a bitter pill for Tasman Makos' head coach Leon MacDonald to swallow, but the highly-competitive former All Black is balancing that negative with plenty of positives from his second campaign in charge.
"I'm still really disappointed about not being able to win the final and our inability to execute on the big stage under pressure for two years in a row. There's still some frustrations there, but we did pretty well to get there considering the challenges we had throughout the year.
"We were always light in experience, losing Marty Banks, Kieron Fonotia, David Havili and Shane Christie all in one go, so that was always going to be a challenge ... but as the season went on we were pleasantly surprised at how some of the younger guys stepped up.
"On reflection, there were some really good positives. The core of this group have re-signed [with Tasman] and will be around next year and better for the experience. Several have signed for Super Rugby and will become full-time professionals, which will help us as well."
MacDonald cited the example of Mitchell Hunt as a case of a young player who had stepped into some big shoes and made a success of it. "At the helm, he grew every week on and off the field and by the end of the campaign he was one of the better No 10s in the competition."
As Tasman's influence on the New Zealand provincial scene has increased - the fledgling union producing four All Blacks in 2017 and providing 19 Super Rugby players for 2018 - the juggling act associated with balancing the demands of other competitions and on-going uncertainty over who will be available has provided more headaches for the team management.
Integrating the Super Rugby players into the provincial mix has been a mission, resulting in a slow start to this season as a relatively new team found their feet. MacDonald says there was not much he and his fellow coaches could do to remedy that situation, or the call-up of players to the All Blacks throughout the season which resulted in the untimely departure of both first choice loosehead props, Tim Perry and Kane Hames.
"You are always trying to plan ahead ... hoping you have all scenarios covered as best you can ... but it does take a dent out of your team, your planning is around the expectation of having guys in your squad. If they are not there you have to adjust quickly ... but it gives other [lesser-known players] a chance."
MacDonald noted several players had been surprise packages this season. "Isaac Salmon was one. He wasn't even part of our initial 30 so to come in when Siua [Halanukonuka] was injured and step up to the plate so well was a real find for us. Shannon Frizell has always had plenty of potential but he was one of our best forwards week-in, week-out. Levi Aumua provided us with a point of difference, Tyrel Lomax has a great physique and reminds me a little of a young Carl Hayman."
With MacDonald opting out of his Crusaders assistant role he will spend more time in the region, a situation he feels will benefit Tasman.
"It's a good chance to continue with what we have done well in the last few years, working with the next tier of players.
There are only two contracted players for next year that played in the 2014 championship final so we have nearly had a full rotation. Bringing new players through our academy system is critical to us."
