Back with Iron – Cam Ferreira on Jim Brown Medal win

Above: Number one – fulltime in the Jubilee Cup and Petone halfback Cam Ferreira celebrates victory, alongside lock Archie Schrader and No. 8 and captain Connor Tuifao who both also had big games.

• By Adam Julian
• Photos by Andy McArthur

When Cam Ferreira slipped a disc in his lower back on June 13 during Petone’s 29-16 win over Hutt Old Boys Marist for the McBain Shield, it seemed his season was done.

But with fellow halfback Logan Henry making the Wellington Lions and representative players contentiously withdrawn from finals, Ferreira had to step up when it mattered most.

A try in Petone’s extra-time 48-40 win over Upper Hutt Rams in the semis was a satisfying return. Receiving the Jim Brown Memorial Plate as man of the match in the 18-10 Jubilee Cup final win against HOBM at Jerry Collins Stadium was a career highlight.

“Thought I went alright,”  Ferreira wryly reflected.

“TJ Perenara, my good friend Callum Harkin, there are guys who have won this award who’ve achieved some pretty big things so it’s surreal to be in that company.”

Ferreira being awarded the Jim Brown Plate

In horizontal rain and a bitter, swirling southerly, Ferreira marshalled his smaller, lion-hearted forward pack in a composed, mature, tough, and intelligent display to edge the territorial joust and drive the Villagers to a tense victory.

“Rain or shine, it was going to be a tough game. Hutt was coming up the middle to beat us up. We prepared well for that knowing that possession and field position would be key,” Ferreira said.

“I thought our first 20 minutes were outstanding. We didn’t get rewards on the scoreboard but kept Hutt where we wanted. Our young forwards are all gas, no breaks, grunt, and heart – outstanding. Jacob Waikari-Jones directed things well at 10.

“There was no panic when we conceded the try before halftime. We knew it would be easier to play at the right end of the field with the wind in the second half. We also knew Hutt would go down fighting.”

Behind 10-5 at halftime, Petone closed the gap to 10-8 with a Thompson Tukapua penalty. After 50 minutes, lock Archie Schrader emerged from a pile of bodies with a try. At 15-10, Tukapua had the chance to seal it seven minutes from time with a penalty. He missed.

“I couldn’t believe it. The stress went through the roof,” Ferreira laughed.

“I was pretty confident when he kicked that penalty two minutes later. Thompson is special. He’s only played three games in two years yet every time he touches the ball something can come of it.”

Every time Braith Ingram lurks near a ruck there’s a prospect of a turnover, and it was the relentless, muscular Gisborne-born seven that snaffled the last turnover that snuffed out the Eagles.  The bootlace tackle creating the jackal opportunity was created by Jarrod “Crazy” Hrstich, along with Ferreira and Lester Maulolo the only survivors from Petone’s last Jubilee Cup final appearance in 2022, which they lost 23-20 to Norths at the same venue.

“That’s pretty surprising. I guess a few have moved on to higher honours like Peter Lakai in the All Blacks. Others from that team retired,” Ferreira said. “This group is young with a great culture. It makes you want to turn up to compete and share knowledge. There’s no way I’m done.”

Sharing a Jubilee Cup with dad, former premier coach and Wellington Axeman Jamie Ferreira, and mum Tammy, formerly a long-time Wellington Rugby employee, was “special.”

A monkey on the back was removed during clubhouse celebrations. Petone’s 28th Jubilee Cup (26th outright) win was the first since 2005, the longest drought between silverware in the village. Stalwarts and multiple Jubilee Cup winners like Andy Leslie, Murray Blandford, and Peter Green were visibly moved.

“They never cry, especially for good things,” Ferreira laughed.

Ferreira is a common Portuguese and Galician surname meaning “iron mine”, “forge,” or “ironworks. Iron is hard and strong.

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Petone became the 23rd team to complete the Swindale Shield/Jubilee Cup double. The Swindale Shield started in 1969. The last side before 2026 to complete the double was Old Boys University, who were also 14-2 in 2024. The double has been done only seven times since 1999. Petone accomplished it five times in six years between 1969 and 1974. Wellington, with 16 wins in 18 games, was the first club other than Petone to do it in 1972. MSP achieved it in 1979 (20-0), 1994, 1995, 1999, and 2008. Wellington (1972, 1982, 1985), Norths (2006, 2010), Old Boys University (2017, 2020, 2024), and Tawa (2013) are the only other clubs to have done it.

Petone Swindale and Jubilee Cup Doubles

• 1969: 17-1, 452-163
• 1970: 17-1, 462-136
• 1971: 16-2, 353-150
• 1973: 18-0, 620-106
• 1974: 16-1-1, 451-113
• 1976: 19-1, 560-133
• 1986: 19-1, 537-176
• 1992: 20-1, 657-242
• 2026: 14-2, 688-241

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There have been 23 recipients of the Jim Brown Plate since its inception in 2004 (see below for more about this and the complete list of winners).

Ferreira becomes the sixth halfback to win this.

The other five were Norths halfback Lua Vaoloaloa in 2006, HOBM’s Nick Risdon in 2007, MSP’s Peter Sciascia in 2009, Norths’ TJ Perenara in 2010, Tawa’s Steven So’oialo in 2013 and Norths’ Campbell Woodmass in 2019.

Other stirring performances by halfbacks that helped win Jubilee Cups included Matt Fowler (OBU, 2018), Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Tawa, 2021) and Kyle Preston (OBU, 2024).

About the Jim Brown Plate

The Player of the Jubilee Cup Final is awarded the Jim Brown Plate.

Jim Brown was a stalwart of the great Petone teams of the 1960s and 1970, playing over 200 matches for the club and many for Wellington. He was a contemporary of former Petone and All Black captain Andy Leslie, who described the former centre as “one of the best players I played with, and a player with a great rugby brain.”

Leslie added that Brown went within a whisker of being selected for the All Blacks and was measured up for an All Blacks suit the day before the team was named. He just missed selection and then subsequently broke his leg and never made the national side. Brown died of cancer in 2004 and his family donated the Jim Brown Plate that year.

Previous Jim Brown Plate winners (since 2004):

2026: Cam Ferreira (Petone)
2025: Harry Press (HOBM)
2024: Callum Harkin (OBU)
2023: Dominic Ropeti (Ories)
2022: Boston Hunt (Norths)
2021: Hemi Fermanis (Tawa)
2020: Dale Sabbagh (OBU)
2019: Campbell Woodmass (Norths)
2018: Alex Barendregt (OBU)
2017: Regan Verney (OBU)
2016: Etuale Togia (Tawa)
2015: Joe Hill (OBU)
2014: Steven Bradshaw (HOBM)
2013: Steven So’oialo (Tawa)
2012: Jeff Toomaga-Allen (MSP)
2011: Ian Pahulu (Ories)
2010: TJ Perenara – Northern United
2009: Peter Sciascia – Marist St Pat’s
2008: Chris Middleton – Northern United
2007: Nick Risdon – Hutt Old Boys Marist
2006: Lua Vaoloaloa – Northern United
2005: 2005: Earl Va’a – Petone
2004: Tamati Ellison – Northern United