More than 700 people turned out for the second ever Crusaders Hall of Fame Charity Lunch, to celebrate greatness and recognise the huge achievements and contributions of three new inductees.
The event, on Friday 24 May, once again took place at the spectacular Te Pae Christchurch at the heart of the city. Last year we welcomed our inaugural inductees: Todd Blackadder, Justin Marshall and Sir Wayne Smith.
This year we were raising funds for Youth Hub Christchurch, who are building New Zealand’s first purpose-built Youth Hub complete with supported housing facilities to improve and maintain youth mental health.
In the live auction alone, more than $90,000 was raised with more to come from a silent auction held on the night.
Inductee #4: Norm Maxwell
Crusader #21, playing from 1996-2005. A cult legend of the club and the game.
"It's tough to be singled out amongst such an amazing group of people, and it is a team sport, it's a whole ecosystem that works for you to play the game. In that respect, I'm just one visible part of the bigger group, but yeah, definitely an honour."
Inductee #5: Leon Macdonald
Crusader #37, playing from 1997-2009. A huge presence in his time and continues to lead the game through his coaching.
"A massive honour when you spend the best part of your life here, and to be recognised amongst your peers, it means a lot to me. But I do it with a bit of discomfort because it's not really what we're about, singling us out as individuals. Our strength was always how connected we were as a team."
"To walk back into the room and see the faces, and to see the impact they've all had on your life and so many of them are still here doing stuff now. There are so many unrecognised heroes around the game."
Inductee #6: Reuben Thorne
Crusader #48, playing from 1997-2008. A legend of the club, a fan favourite, and continues to give back to the club and the community well after hanging up the boots.
"The people of my era were there at the beginning, and it's laid the foundation for what we have today. So I always look back at that time, at the people involved and what they taught us and how they grew that culture we know today. And it's something I've always been proud to be a part of."