The start of another season dawned in front of an expectant crowd of thousands. Well possibly only a thousand with only six people actually paying full price. The others got them from Habour sponsors who are supposed to make the team what it is today, as opposed to bringing in non-paying spectators. The Lion Red Student Zone was full...of grass and the so as you can imagine it was a financial extravaganza for all concerned at the Harbour accounts receivable office.

We started reasonably well, good pressure from our forwards and another solid display from the child prodigy - Luke "I'll-be-burnt-out-by-I'm-21" McAlister. In fact as we were 20-6 up at halftime the Harbour faithful, of which there are four, had reason to be confident at their work rate and consistency thus far.

The second half however was a complete and utter shocker. The Bay came back like a dormant volcano slightly aggrieved at not having ejected molten lava and rocks for a short 300-year time span. We hung on, scored a try or two but looked seriously woeful at stopping the BOP team carve our defence up at every opportunity. They scored an impressive 27 points in the last forty and we didn't.

Russell Jones was seen during the last 10 minutes hurriedly scanning the employment pages of the Trade and Exchange both for a job and a huge immovable object (automotive in nature) with which to plug the midfield with. Perhaps it is a little too early in the season to run off at the coach. Inexperience and a lack of combinations were the more than likely the cause of the second-half slide into despair and darkness.

While I'm on the subject of Russell Jones, I'm not convinced at all, show me true credentials and I'll show you some respect. Harbourrugby.com regulars will know that when I indiscriminately attack our coach he usually does quite well, so I'm hoping this will rub off on him as the season progresses.

We look forward to a trip to the cow-interference of capital of the nation on Saturday, but considering we haven't done particularly well there in the last 17 years, I shall consume buckets of liquor to compensate for my obvious misery.

While we talk of the Harbour Union, I would just like to say that it is a f**king disgrace that they have not paid out the $3000 promised to all 12 clubs. If you disrespect your stakeholders this will eventually have a flow-on effect to the Senior side. The Union is there to serve us (the clubs) not their own considerable wallets. The Harbour "gravy train", as employment at NHRFU headquarters is often referred to around the club's watering holes, is becoming a serious matter. I'd work for nothing and still do more in a day than half of them would do in a week. It's about time the faithful filled a couple of those positions and since there is only four of us that should be quite achievable