Stefan Smith

Central Defender - Retired
22 Aug 2027
Sunday
Process

Marked for Stefan Smith

34 Edition

The Waitakere United Sentinel

22 Mar 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Market

Tommy Rufer asks to leave Waitakere United

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Squad

Tempers go at Waitakere United

Marco Colvey was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Squad

Deklan Sutton falls out with a teammate over standards

The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.

In brief

Back issues
33 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

15 Mar 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Alex Singh damages knee ligaments — 28 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 28 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Squad

Words at Hawke's Bay United training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Oliver Tuiloma is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

Loan watch

Tommy Lockyer counts the days

“I watch every Hawke's Bay United game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at Melbourne Victory runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.

Squad

Cameron Tuiloma in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Hawke's Bay United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Squad

When it matters, Ben Tuiloma plays

It is never announced and it is entirely visible: the biggest afternoons of the season keep containing him. A press box works this out long before anybody at the club confirms a word of it.

Loan watch

The goals keep arriving from Tim Singh’s exile

3 goals in 8 games at Team Wellington — numbers that travel home faster than he does. Somebody at Hawke's Bay United updates a spreadsheet every Monday, and it makes better reading each week.

In brief

29 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

15 Feb 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Tempers go at Hawke's Bay United

Sani Mubarak was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Squad

When it matters, Ben Tuiloma plays

It is never announced and it is entirely visible: the biggest afternoons of the season keep containing him. A press box works this out long before anybody at the club confirms a word of it.

Loan watch

3 goals on loan for Tim Singh

8 appearances at Team Wellington and the goals keep coming. Hawke's Bay United are watching this more closely than the borrowing club would like.

In brief

9 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

28 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Stefan Smith damages knee ligaments — 16 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 16 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Squad

Real improvement from Oliver Tuiloma at Hawke's Bay United

Form comes and goes; this has not gone. Oliver Tuiloma is 21, and the version of him training now would not have got into the side he was in a year ago.

Squad

Mason Cummings in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Hawke's Bay United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

In brief

8 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

21 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Stefan Smith damages knee ligaments — 23 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 23 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Squad

Real improvement from Tim Singh at Hawke's Bay United

Form comes and goes; this has not gone. Tim Singh is 20, and the version of him training now would not have got into the side he was in a year ago.

Squad

Sani Mubarak in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Hawke's Bay United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

In brief

7 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

14 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Stefan Smith damages knee ligaments — 30 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 30 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Market

Ryan Fenton hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Hawke's Bay United can pretend not to have heard.

Squad

Tempers go at Hawke's Bay United

Sani Mubarak was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

In brief

6 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

7 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Stefan Smith damages knee ligaments — 37 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 37 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Market

Kosta Boxall puts it in writing

“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Hawke's Bay United, and it is not being withdrawn.

Squad

Sani Mubarak in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Hawke's Bay United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

In brief

5 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

31 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Stefan Smith damages knee ligaments — 44 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 44 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Market

Stefan Smith puts it in writing

“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Hawke's Bay United, and it is not being withdrawn.

Market

Deklan Tuiloma is a Hawke's Bay United player

The fee is $8.0K, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Team Wellington drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.

Squad

Mason Cummings in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Hawke's Bay United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Market

Eyes on Callum Rufer again

The phone has started ringing about Callum Rufer again, and this time the name on the line is Waitakere United. Hawke's Bay United are listening politely and promising nothing.

Squad

Words at Hawke's Bay United training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Liberato Nelson is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

In brief

4 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

24 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Stefan Smith damages knee ligaments — 51 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 51 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Market

Cameron Tuiloma asks to leave Hawke's Bay United

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Squad

Oliver Tuiloma falls out with a teammate over standards

The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.

In brief

3 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

17 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Stefan Smith damages knee ligaments — 58 days out

The words a physio says slowly. 58 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.

Squad

A fracture rules Monty Waine out for 14 days

Bones knit. That is the one merciful thing about this injury and the reason Hawke's Bay United will talk about it more openly than they would about a knee. He will be back, and roughly when they say.

Squad

Words at Hawke's Bay United training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Oliver Tuiloma is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

Squad

Tempers go at Hawke's Bay United

Liberato Nelson was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Market

No place for Monty Boxall in the plan

“The manager did not use many words, and he did not need to.” Monty Boxall has his answer from Hawke's Bay United; what he does with it is the next window’s story.

Market

The shop window has Cameron Tuiloma in it

Hawke's Bay United have let the market know Cameron Tuiloma can be had. No price in the advert, but everyone in the trade knows roughly what it says.

In brief

2 Edition

The Hawke's Bay United Courier

10 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Monty Waine breaks a bone — 21 days out

Brutal, unambiguous and, for all the horror of the moment, usually less career-shaped than the ligament everybody fears more. 21 days, a clean timeline, and a return date somebody can actually plan around.

Market

Kosta Boxall puts it in writing

“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Hawke's Bay United, and it is not being withdrawn.

Squad

Oliver Tuiloma signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Oliver Tuiloma commits to Hawke's Bay United for another 4 years.

In brief