1983 Pirates B - has odds against it.

Pirates B coach John Purdue is well aware that the odds will be staked against his team this season but he is expecting the team to perform will later in the year.

The team has a lot of work to do, but he felt that in later stages of the competition it would be more of a force.  The team is made up of 10 senior players, five senior reserve and six under 23's from last season.  At full-back is promising age group player Malcolm Dewe, while Sean Bellew, a Southland colt last year and Barry Belesky are included from last years's senior team.  Goal kicking ace from previous seasons, Lyall McKenzie will play in the three quarters.  Glenn Mearns, Alan Huges, Neville McDowell and Ian McMurdo will play in the mid-field while sharing the half-back berth are Rex Pankhurst and Rex Duncan.  There is a mixture of youth and experience in the forwards.  In the loose department will be Paul Radka, Trevor Popham and Tony Bennett along with Alistair Walker and Peter Carlaw.
Long serving club players John Pankhurst and Don Sutherland will lock the scrum with Fraser Purdue also in line for the job.  Gary Anderson, Wayne  McCulloch and rob Van Quelen make up the rest of the pack.  It is amazing there are two senior teams for Pirates and it obviously has something to do with their centennial year.  Other clubs are up in arms that a club has entered two teams in the senior grade but as the club say what else are they suppose to do - turn  players away.