Editing GK Goblins (New Zealand Paintball Team)

{{Short description|New Zealand tournament paintball team}}

'''GK Goblins''' was a New Zealand competitive [[paintball]] team associated with [[Actions Paintball]] in Auckland. Contemporary records document the team at three tournaments between 2001 and 2002, under the names '''GK Goblins''' and '''Goblins'''.[1][2][3]

The team made its first documented tournament appearance at the [[2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]. A contemporary report described GK Goblins as a new team sponsored by Actions Paintball.[1] Former participants identify the initials “GK” as “Grassy Knoll”, referring to the named playing field at Actions Paintball's Swanson venue; that expansion has not been found in a contemporary published team record. Actions later publicly listed Grassy Knoll among its Swanson playing fields.[4]

== History ==

=== 2001 New Zealand Nationals ===

GK Goblins competed at the [[2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]. The team scored 434 preliminary points and did not advance to the final round.[1]

The contemporary Valhalla season table awarded GK Goblins 31 ranking points for the Nationals and placed the team twentieth in the 2001 seven-player standings.[2]

An archived New Zealand team contact list named “Luke” as the contact for GK Goblins.[5] Former team members have identified him as Luke Longstaff, although the recovered contact list does not supply his surname.

=== 2002 season ===

The team appeared as '''Goblins''' at the [[2002 Northland Open]]. The event used seven-player, two-flag games and was played under New Zealand Paintball Players Association rules. Goblins finished sixth among eight teams with 235 points and placed fourth among the four Division 2 entries. Adam Pinfold of Goblins received the event's Player of the Match award.[3]

Goblins later competed in the [[2002 Auckland 5-Man Tournament]] at Actions Paintball in Swanson on 26 October. The team finished fifth among seven entries with 365 points.[6]

Former participants identify Luke Longstaff, Adam Pinfold and Michael Earley as members of the 2002 team. Of these, Pinfold's association is directly confirmed by the recovered tournament report; the complete playing rosters for the two 2002 events have not been recovered.[3]

=== Later use of the name ===

Former participants recall a later GK Goblins entry in 2008, linked to Luke Longstaff and including some former [[Solidaire (New Zealand Paintball Team)|Solidaire]] players. A contemporary tournament record confirming the event, roster and precise organisational continuity has not yet been recovered, so the recollection is not included in the results table.

== Selected tournament results ==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Tournament
! Recorded name
! Result
|-
| 2001
| [[2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| GK Goblins
| 434 preliminary points; did not reach the final round
|-
| 2002
| [[2002 Northland Open]]
| Goblins
| 6th of 8; 235 points
|-
| 2002
| [[2002 Auckland 5-Man Tournament]]
| Goblins
| 5th of 7; 365 points
|}

== See also ==

* [[Actions Paintball]]
* [[Solidaire (New Zealand Paintball Team)]]

== References ==

# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020806192513/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats01.htm The 2001 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament]. Rob Maddox, ''paintball.co.nz''. Contemporary report describing GK Goblins as a new Actions Paintball-sponsored team and recording 434 preliminary points.
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/2001Hall.htm Valhalla 2001 rankings]. ''Mercenaries Star''. Seven-player season table recording GK Goblins' Nationals ranking points.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020806192035/http://www.paintball.co.nz/north2002.htm The 2002 Northland Paintball Open]. Rob Maddox, ''paintball.co.nz''. Results and Adam Pinfold's Player of the Match award.
# [https://www.actionspaintball.co.nz/EVENTS/ScenarioSundayWalkonGame.aspx Scenario Sunday]. ''Actions Paintball''. Operator page naming Grassy Knoll among the Swanson playing fields.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020102013147/http://pub73.ezboard.com:80/fnzpaintballfrm2.showMessage?topicID=101.topic New Zealand paintball team contacts]. Archived NZ Paintball forum discussion listing “Luke” as the GK Goblins contact.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20051218183900/http://www.paintball.co.nz/articles/2002/auckland5man.htm Auckland 5-Man Tournament]. Rob Maddox, ''paintball.co.nz'', October 2002. Contemporary report and results.

== External links ==

* [https://www.actionspaintball.co.nz/ Actions Paintball]

[[Category:New Zealand paintball teams]]
[[Category:Paintball in Auckland]]
[[Category:2000s in New Zealand paintball]]