Norm Haddy.

Mike Whatman.

Of enormous benefit to the Petone Rugby Club over the past many years has been the willingness of members to give so much of their time to ensure the well-being of the organisation and helping maintain its reputation as an example to other amateur sporting bodies and it has certainly been time generously given well beyond the call of duty.

One such person was the late W.N. (Norm) Haddy who it is fair to say, put so much effort in to the club it was as though his responsible position with the NZ Railways was a secondary activity in his life.

Completing his schooling at Hutt Valley High School in 1934 Norm began his association with the club as an age grade and junior player and was on the verge of senior selection when the 1939-45 War intervened. Like many Petone Club members he enlisted for service in the Army and was soon sent overseas to fight for his country.

Interestingly Norm was trained for and assigned to a special commando unit delegated to the dangerous task of infiltrating behind enemy lines, he was made a prisoner of war and he spent some years in a Stalag in Germany one experience that was to have an effect on him for the rest of his life.

Upon repatriation he returned home to New Zealand, rejoined the Railways as a clerical assistant and resumed his rugby career with Petone.

He soon aspired to inclusion in the senior squad, this culminating his being in the side which shared the winning of the Jubilee Cup with St Pat’s Old Boys in 1949.

The following season he was not pleased to lose his loose forward position to a future All Black Don McIntosh so retired from active play to begin coaching for many years lower grade teams.

Then in 1964 he replaced Peter Dougan as Club Captain, a demanding and time consuming position he held for the ten following seasons during which time the Jubilee Cup was won for seven of them. This was an unparalled record in the clubs history and this success was in no small way a reflection of the hard work and perception Norm applied to the job.

During early 1974 he was an integral part of the management of the Petone team on its trailblazing and successful tour of South Africa.

Upon his return he was elected to the position of Chairman of the clubs management committee which he held until 1986.

Memories of this period of his advocacy were his ability to get to the kernel of a problem without delay while also displaying certain testiness towards those who might choose to disagree (The writer very often included!)

At the same time Norm was involved with Roy Hewson with the coaching of the HVHS 1st XV in those days a feeder of fine talent into the Petone Club.

Also for some years Norm had been a delegate at the AGM of the Wellington Rugby Football Union so it was entirely appropriate in 1977 when he was nominated and elected to the Unions executive which he served until his death in 1989 at the age of 69.

His services to the Union were valuable when he was assigned many responsibilities that were ideal to his administrative talents. One such was the task of organising arrangements to ensure the smooth running of the inaugural World Cup matches played in Wellington in 1987.

An added onus was his accepting the position of the first appointment of a full time manager of the PRFC.

His death due to cancer seemed unfairly premature because his willingness to work hard for the Club and Union was still insatiable.

Once again his life membership created in1972 added another name to the list of others who have worked endlessly for the benefit of the club without reward and certainly without complaint, they were proud to be so involved.

An experience I enjoyed involving Norm happened many years ago when I used to organise as a fund raising project an All Black night. That event was a dinner that every All Black past and present was invited, always an eagerly anticipated occasion.

This particular one Norm said to me ”See that elderly bloke sitting in the corner? He taught me at HVHS during the early 30’s, come with me and see if he remembers me”.

The conversation went like this………..
Norm “Hello Mr McKenzie do you remember me? I was a pupil of yours once upon a time."

Mr McKenzie “I recall your face and I believe your name is Norman”

Norm “That’s amazing, anyway what brings you to this evening?"

Mr McKenzie “I was pleased to be invited as a former All Black, actually I was an All Black in 1928."

Norm “I never knew you were an All Black."

Mr McKenzie “Well you probably never asked me!!"

Such is modesty.

Then again how could we ever forget Norm Haddy?

Memoirs archive