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'''Saints''', also known as '''Team Saints''', was a New Zealand tournament [[paintball]] organisation active from at least 1995 into the 2000s. The team won the 1995 [[South Pacific Championships]] in Wellington and a seven-player tournament in Auckland later that year.[1][2]
'''Saints''' was a New Zealand tournament [[paintball]] organisation based in Auckland. It competed under the names '''Saints''', '''Team Saints''', '''Saints Gold''', '''Saints Black''' and '''Saints Grey''', and also fielded numbered three-player entries as '''Saints 1''' and '''Saints 2'''.[1][2][3][4][5]


During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the organisation fielded several squads, including '''Saints Gold''', '''Saints Black''' and '''Saints Grey'''. Saints Gold led the independent [[Valhalla National Rankings]] in 1998, 1999 and 2000, and headed the published seven-player rankings in 2001.[5][6][7][8]
Saints won the New Zealand South Pacific Championships in 1995, multiple national tournaments during the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the 2005 New Zealand ranking series as reported by a participating organiser.[6][7][8][9][10]


Saints also competed internationally, travelling to Australia in 1995 and the United States for the 2004 [[National Professional Paintball League]] (NPPL) tournament at Huntington Beach, California.[3][12]
== Team identity ==


== History ==
Saints Gold, Saints Black and Saints Grey were squads of the same Saints organisation rather than unrelated teams. The numbered Saints 1 and Saints 2 entries at the 2002 Gathering were also separate squads from the organisation.[5]


=== 1995 season ===
The Valhalla rankings sometimes shortened Saints Grey to '''Grey'''. Those entries are treated as Saints Grey where they occur alongside the other Saints squads in the relevant New Zealand records. Published event names are retained in result tables rather than being silently standardised to Saints Gold.


==== South Pacific Championships ====
The available sources do not establish a precise founding date.


Saints won the 1995 New Zealand [[South Pacific Championships]], held in Wellington over the Easter weekend.
== History ==


The Australian team [[Sydney HEAT]] finished second.[1]
=== 1995–1996 ===


==== Australian South Pacific Championships ====
Saints won the 1995 New Zealand [[South Pacific Championships]], held in Wellington during Easter.[6]


Later in 1995, Saints travelled to New South Wales to compete in the Australian South Pacific Paintball Championships at Adventure Quest Games near Windsor.
Later in 1995, Saints competed in the Australian South Pacific Paintball Championships near Windsor, New South Wales. Seven ten-player teams contested the event, but Saints did not advance to the finals.[11]


Seven ten-player teams entered the competition: [[Saints (New Zealand paintball team)|Saints]], [[Top Hat Jokers]], [[Sydney SWAT]], [[Black Reign]], Black Reign/No Fear, Hardline and United Newcastle.[3]
On 21–22 October 1995, Saints won a seven-player tournament at Tactics, Bethells Beach, Auckland. The team won nine of its ten games and scored 910 points. The contemporary report identified Rik Goldsworthy, printed as Rick, as captain.[7]


Saints did not advance to the four-team finals.
Saints competed in the professional division of the 1996 [[Australian Masters]] at Skirmish Adventures in Helensburgh, New South Wales. The recovered report does not establish its final placing.[12]
 
Top Hat Jokers won the tournament, followed by Black Reign, Sydney SWAT and Black Reign/No Fear.[3]
 
In the 1995 Australian team rankings published by ''Australian Paintballer'', Saints received 56.25 professional ranking points from its single Australian tournament appearance.[4]
 
==== Auckland seven-player tournament ====
 
Saints won a seven-player tournament held at Tactics, Bethells Beach, Auckland, on 21–22 October 1995.
 
Six teams competed in a double round-robin format.
 
Saints won nine of its ten games and finished with 910 points, ahead of [[X-Men (New Zealand paintball team)|X-Men]] and [[Katipo Paintball Team|Katipo]].[2]
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Position
! Team
! Points
|-
| 1
| Saints
| 910
|-
| 2
| X-Men
| 683
|-
| 3
| Katipo
| 628
|-
| 4
| Whangarei Paint Contractors
| 324
|-
| 5
| Dragons Claw Hell Patrol
| 293
|-
| 6
| Dragons Claw Sentinels
| −35
|}
 
The contemporary tournament report identified [[Rik Goldsworthy]], referred to as Rick, as the Saints captain.[2]


=== 1997 season ===
=== 1997 season ===


The April–June 1997 issue of ''Paintballer'' featured Saints on its cover under the headline "Warriors Still!", describing the team's efforts to regain its previous competitive standing.[11]
At the [[1997 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]], Saints Black finished second with 866 points and Saints Grey finished fifth with 780 points. Jo Pitts was identified as Saints Black captain. The report noted that other Saints players were competing in Orlando.[1]
 
Saints Black finished second in the 1997 Valhalla National Rankings with 79 points, behind Katipo.


At the 1997 [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]], Saints Black also finished second behind Katipo, recording 866 tournament points.[9]
The Valhalla rankings placed Saints Black second with 79 ranking points. The associated Grey entry, identified here as Saints Grey, recorded 71 points.[13]


=== 1998 season ===
=== 1998 season ===


Saints Gold led the 1998 Valhalla National Rankings with 92.5 points.
Saints won the [[1998 Northland Open]], finishing ahead of Paint Contractors.[14]


Saints Grey finished second with 78 points, while Saints Black placed fifth with 64 points.[5]
At the [[1998 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]], Saints Gold won with 1,290 points from a possible 1,300. Saints Grey finished third with 970 points. Rik Goldsworthy was identified as Saints Gold captain.[2]


At the 1998 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, Saints Gold won the tournament with 1,290 points.
Saints Gold led the 1998 Valhalla rankings with 92.5 points. Saints Grey, printed as Grey, recorded 78 points, while Saints Black recorded 64.[15]


Paint Contractors finished second with 1,008 points, while Saints Grey placed third with 970.[5]
=== 1999 season ===


=== 1999 season ===
At the [[1999 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]], Saints Gold finished second with 1,025 points, behind Paint Contractors. Saints Grey finished sixth with 715 points.[3]


Saints Gold retained first place in the Valhalla National Rankings in 1999, recording 91 points.
Saints Gold received the Team of the Year award presented at the tournament. Marty Friend received the Player of the Year award for sportsmanship and attitude.[3]


Saints Grey finished fourth with 77 points.[6]
Saints Gold led the 1999 Valhalla rankings with 91 points. Saints Grey, printed as Grey, recorded 77 points.[16]


=== 2000 season ===
=== 2000 season ===


Saints Gold led the Valhalla rankings for a third consecutive season in 2000, recording 91 points.
Saints won the [[2000 Northland Open]] at Jubilee Park in Whangārei.[17]
 
The ranking compiler reported that the squad had averaged approximately 96 per cent of the available preliminary-round points during its tournament appearances.[7]


Saints Grey finished equal second with Team Crisis on 82.5 points.
At the [[2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]], the entry printed as Saints won Division One after recording 1,000 preliminary points. The report does not publish the team's final-round points.[8]


Saints Black was also recorded in the standings, placing twenty-third with 50 points.[7]
Saints Gold led the 2000 Valhalla rankings with 91 points. Saints Grey, printed as Grey, recorded 82.5 points, and Saints Black recorded 50.[18]


=== 2001 season ===
=== 2001 season ===


The Valhalla rankings for 2001 recorded Saints Gold in seven-player, five-player and three-player competition.[8]
Saints won the [[2001 Northland Open]] at Jubilee Park on 25 February with 900 points.[19]


In the seven-player rankings, Saints Gold finished first among 23 entries with 400.5 cumulative points.
At the [[2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]], Saints won Division One with 225 final-round points, ahead of Katipo, Jetts and Flashpoint. The report described the team as led by Rik Goldsworthy.[9]


The results incorporated the Northland Open, RotoVegas and New Zealand Nationals.
The October 2001 Valhalla standings placed Saints Gold first in seven-player competition with 400.5 cumulative ranking points. Saints Gold also placed second in the five-player rankings with 211 points and fourth in the three-player rankings with 152.5 points.[4]


{| class="wikitable"
=== 2002 competition ===
! Competition stage
! Points
|-
| Northland Open
| 100
|-
| RotoVegas preliminary round
| 83.4
|-
| RotoVegas First Division round
| 73.3
|-
| Nationals preliminary round
| 87.5
|-
| Nationals First Division final
| 56.3
|-
| '''Total'''
| '''400.5'''
|}


Saints Gold finished second in the five-player rankings with 211 points, behind [[Tag n' Release]] on 214.5 points.
At the Gathering at Actions Paintball on 26 January 2002, Saints fielded two three-player squads. Saints 2 won with 20 points, while Saints 1 shared second place with GPS and GBR on 16 points.[5]


The squad also placed fourth in the three-player rankings with 152.5 points.[8]
The following day, Saints won the Combat Zone three-player tournament in Ardmore with 730 points.[20]


=== 2004 NPPL Huntington Beach ===
Saints also won the [[2002 Northland Open]], scoring 666 points and taking the Division One title. Rik Goldsworthy was identified as captain.[10]


Saints travelled to California to compete in the opening round of the 2004 NPPL Super 7 Series at Huntington Beach, held from 19 to 21 March.
=== 2004 season ===


The tournament attracted approximately 160 teams from twelve countries.[12]
Saints competed at the opening round of the 2004 [[National Professional Paintball League]] Super 7 Series at Huntington Beach, California, on 19–21 March. Captain Rik Goldsworthy subsequently reported that Saints won three of its eight games.[21][22]


Saints captain [[Rik Goldsworthy]] discussed the team's participation in an April 2004 interview conducted by Rob Maddox for Paintball.co.nz.
At the [[2004 Wellington X-Cess]] during Easter, Saints reached the Cup final and finished second after losing two consecutive games to the visiting American Evil Factory team.[23]


Goldsworthy reported that Saints won three of its eight games.[13]
Saints was runner-up at the [[2004 Auckland Queen’s Birthday Superball|Auckland Queen's Birthday Superball]] at Kumeu. Its best-of-three final against Evil Factory NZ was tied after the first two games and the deciding game ended in a draw. Evil Factory NZ received first place on individual-game countback.[24]


He also expressed an intention to return to Huntington Beach the following year, although a subsequent appearance has not been established from the available records.
Saints also competed at the [[2004 Rotorua Paintball Tournament|Rotorua International Stadium tournament]] during Labour Weekend. The recovered report records a pool-stage loss to Evil Factory NZ but does not include Saints among the four Cup finalists or establish its final overall placing.[25]


==== Photographic documentation ====
=== 2005 ranking series ===


A contemporary photographic collection of Saints at Huntington Beach is preserved in a Flickr album titled ''Huntington Beach 2004''.[15]
A retrospective account by a participating organiser identified two completed New Zealand ranking events in 2005. Saints won the Easter event with 50 ranking points and placed third at Kumeu with 43 points.[26]


The album contains 28 photographs and is described as documenting Saints at the opening round of the 2004 NPPL series.
The account placed Saints first for the season with 93 points, ahead of Hybrid on 46 and Menace on 43. It was posted during a later forum dispute rather than as an independently authenticated official standings sheet, so the result is attributed to its author.[26]


The photographs were published through the account of [[Martin Dannefaerd]], who was involved in operating a New Zealand paintball website at the time.
=== 2006 season ===


Dannefaerd was not a member of Saints.
An organiser's post dated 19 April 2006 identified Saints as the Cup winner at the [[2006 Wellington Easter Tournament]]. The recovered discussion does not provide a complete result table.[27]


Historical participant identification associates [[Rik Goldsworthy]], [[Kane Anderson]], [[Pete Hamilton|Peter Hamilton]] and a player known as Stat with the team depicted in the photographs.
Saints competed in Division One of the 2006 [[Super 5s (New Zealand)|Super 5s]]. The final standings placed it fourth with 3,203 championship points, behind Menace, XXX and Phantom.[28]


The jerseys do not display player names, so these identifications are based on participant recollections rather than uniform lettering.
== Players and leadership ==


The collection provides additional contemporary documentation of Saints' international tournament participation.
{| class="wikitable"
 
! Person
== Team structure ==
! Documented association
 
|-
=== Saints Gold ===
| [[Rik Goldsworthy]]
 
| Saints captain in dated records from 1995, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2004.[2][7][9][10][22]
Saints Gold was the organisation's principal competitive squad during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
|-
 
| [[Jo Pitts]]
The squad led the Valhalla rankings in 1998, 1999 and 2000, and finished first in the published seven-player standings in 2001.[5][6][7][8]
| Saints Black captain at the 1997 Nationals.[1]
 
|-
=== Saints Black ===
| [[Amon Johnson]]
 
| Identified as a Saints member in a contemporary player profile.[29]
Saints Black competed as a separately ranked squad.
|-
 
| [[David Caton]]
The team finished second in the 1997 Valhalla rankings and at the 1997 New Zealand Paintball Nationals.
| Identified as a longstanding Saints member in a contemporary profile.[30]
 
|-
It placed fifth in the 1998 national rankings and appeared again in the 2000 standings.[5][7][9]
| [[Ian MacDonald]]
 
| Identified as a longstanding Saints member in a contemporary profile.[31]
=== Saints Grey ===
|-
 
| [[Keith Docherty]]
Saints Grey was another squad associated with the wider Saints organisation.
| Identified as a Saints member; previously associated with Dragons Claw and The Goodies.[32]
 
|-
The team appeared as Grey in several Valhalla ranking tables, while the 1998 New Zealand Nationals results identified it as Saints Grey.[5]
| [[Kyn Jackson|Kyn Allan Jackson]]
 
| Identified as an Actions Paintball operator and Saints member.[33]
The squad placed fifth in the 1997 rankings, second in 1998, fourth in 1999 and equal second in 2000.[5][6][7][9]
|}
 
The Valhalla rankings treated separately named squads as individual competitive entries rather than combining their results under one organisation.[14]
 
== Notable players ==
 
=== Rik Goldsworthy ===
 
[[Rik Goldsworthy]], also recorded as Rick Goldsworthy, was a Saints player and captain.
 
A contemporary report from the October 1995 Auckland seven-player tournament identified him as captain under the name Rick.[2]
 
Goldsworthy continued to be associated with Saints during the 2000s and captained the team at the 2004 NPPL Huntington Beach tournament.[13]
 
=== Kane Anderson ===
 
[[Kane Anderson]] has been identified through historical participant recollections as a member of the Saints team photographed at the 2004 NPPL Huntington Beach tournament.[15]
 
His complete tournament record with Saints has not yet been established.
 
=== Peter Hamilton ===
 
[[Pete Hamilton|Peter Hamilton]] has been identified as a member of the Saints team appearing in the 2004 Huntington Beach photographic collection.[15]
 
Hamilton was subsequently associated with [[Wellington Hybrid]], appearing in photographs from the team's 2005 Australian X-Ball League campaign.
 
=== Stat ===
 
'''Stat''' was a Saints player identified by nickname in historical photographs of the 2004 Huntington Beach team.[15]


His full name has not yet been established.
The sources document associations at different dates and do not establish a single roster covering every Saints squad or season.


== Selected tournament results ==
== Selected tournament results ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Year
! Tournament
! Competition
! Squad
! Published entry
! Result
! Recorded result
|-
|-
| 1995
| 1995
| [[South Pacific Championships]]
| New Zealand South Pacific Championships
| Saints
| Saints
| 1st
| 1st.[6]
|-
|-
| 1995
| 1995
| Australian South Pacific Paintball Championships
| Tactics seven-player tournament
| Saints
| Saints
| Did not reach finals
| 1st; 910 points.[7]
|-
| 1995
| Auckland seven-player tournament
| Saints
| 1st
|-
|-
| 1997
| 1997
| [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Saints Black
| Saints Black
| 2nd
| 2nd; 866 points.[1]
|-
|-
| 1998
| 1997
| New Zealand Paintball Nationals
| [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Saints Gold
| Saints Grey
| 1st
| 5th; 780 points.[1]
|-
|-
| 1998
| 1998
| New Zealand Paintball Nationals
| [[1998 Northland Open]]
| Saints Grey
| 3rd
|-
| 2004
| NPPL Huntington Beach
| Saints
| Saints
| Three wins from eight games
| 1st.[14]
|}
 
== National ranking record ==
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Squad
! Format
! Position
! Score
|-
| 1997
| Saints Black
| Combined
| 2nd
| 79
|-
| 1997
| Grey
| Combined
| 5th
| 71
|-
|-
| 1998
| 1998
| [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Saints Gold
| Saints Gold
| Combined
| 1st; 1,290 points.[2]
| 1st
| 92.5
|-
|-
| 1998
| 1998
| Grey
| [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Combined
| Saints Grey
| 2nd
| 3rd; 970 points.[2]
| 78
|-
| 1998
| Saints Black
| Combined
| 5th
| 64
|-
|-
| 1999
| 1999
| [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Saints Gold
| Saints Gold
| Combined
| 2nd; 1,025 points.[3]
| 1st
| 91
|-
|-
| 1999
| 1999
| Grey
| [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Combined
| Saints Grey
| 4th
| 6th; 715 points.[3]
| 77
|-
|-
| 2000
| 2000
| Saints Gold
| [[Northland Open]]
| Combined
| Saints
| 1st
| 1st.[17]
| 91
|-
|-
| 2000
| 2000
| Grey
| [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Combined
| Saints
| Equal 2nd
| Division One winner; 1,000 preliminary points.[8]
| 82.5
|-
|-
| 2000
| 2001
| Saints Black
| [[2001 Northland Open]]
| Combined
| Saints
| 23rd
| 1st; 900 points.[19]
| 50
|-
|-
| 2001
| 2001
| Saints Gold
| [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Seven-player
| Saints
| 1st
| Division One winner; 225 final-round points.[9]
| 400.5
|-
| 2002
| The Gathering
| Saints 2
| 1st; 20 points.[5]
|-
| 2002
| The Gathering
| Saints 1
| Equal 2nd; 16 points.[5]
|-
| 2002
| Combat Zone three-player tournament
| Saints
| 1st; 730 points.[20]
|-
| 2002
| [[2002 Northland Open]]
| Saints
| 1st and Division One winner; 666 points.[10]
|-
| 2004
| [[2004 Wellington X-Cess]]
| Saints
| 2nd, Cup.[23]
|-
| 2004
| [[2004 Auckland Queen’s Birthday Superball]]
| Saints
| 2nd, Cup.[24]
|-
| 2005
| New Zealand ranking series
| Saints
| 1st in attributed season table; 93 points.[26]
|-
|-
| 2001
| 2006
| Saints Gold
| [[2006 Wellington Easter Tournament]]
| Five-player
| Saints
| 2nd
| Cup winner, as reported by the organiser.[27]
| 211
|-
|-
| 2001
| 2006
| Saints Gold
| [[Super 5s (New Zealand)|Super 5s]], Division One
| Three-player
| Saints
| 4th
| 4th; 3,203 championship points.[28]
| 152.5
|}
|}


The 2001 figures are cumulative tournament-round totals and are not directly comparable with the ranking scores used in previous seasons.[8]
The table retains organiser-published squad names. Scores from different tournament and ranking systems are not directly comparable.


== See also ==
== See also ==


* [[South Pacific Championships]]
* [[Rik Goldsworthy]]
* [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
* [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
* [[National Paintball League (New Zealand)]]
* [[Northland Open]]
* [[Northland Open]]
* [[Katipo Paintball Team]]
* [[South Pacific Championships]]
* [[Tag n' Release]]
* [[Valhalla National Rankings]]
* [[Valhalla National Rankings]]
* [[Rik Goldsworthy]]
* [[Super 5s (New Zealand)]]
* [[Wellington Hybrid]]
* [[Paintball in New Zealand]]
* [[Paintball in New Zealand]]


== References ==
== References ==


# Australian Paintballer, June–July 1995, "Sydney HEAT Make Friends in High Places".
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020613133123/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats97.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 1997 Two Day NZ National “SplatMan” Tournament'', Paintball.co.nz.]
# Australian Paintballer, December 1995–February 1996, report on the Auckland seven-player tournament at Tactics, Bethells Beach.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020817071008/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats98.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 1998 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament'', Paintball.co.nz.]
# Australian Paintballer, December 1995–February 1996, "South Pacific Extravaganza".
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020817070413/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats99/ Rob Maddox, ''The 1999 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament'', Paintball.co.nz.]
# Australian Paintballer, April–June 1996, "1995 Australian Team Rankings".
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/2001Hall.htm Mercenaries Star, ''2001 Valhalla National Rankings'', October 2001.]
# Valhalla Hall of Heroes, 1998, Mercenaries Star historical archive.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020606121211/http://www.paintball.co.nz/gatheringa2k.htm Dazz Marshall, ''The Gathering'', Paintball.co.nz, 26 January 2002.]
# Valhalla Hall of Heroes, 1999, Mercenaries Star historical archive.
# ''Australian Paintballer'', June–July 1995, “Sydney HEAT Make Friends in High Places”.
# Valhalla Hall of Heroes, 2000, Mercenaries Star historical archive.
# ''Australian Paintballer'', December 1995–February 1996, report on the Auckland seven-player tournament at Tactics, Bethells Beach.
# Valhalla Hall of Heroes, 2001, Mercenaries Star historical archive.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020613133336/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats00.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 2000 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament'', Paintball.co.nz.]
# Valhalla Hall of Heroes, 1997, Mercenaries Star historical archive.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020806192513/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats01.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 2001 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament'', Paintball.co.nz.]
# Australian Paintballer, December 1995–February 1996, report on the Saints' Australian tournament appearance.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020806192035/http://www.paintball.co.nz/north2002.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 2002 Northland Paintball Open'', Paintball.co.nz.]
# Paintballer, issue 16, April–June 1997, "Warriors Still! The Saints Determined to Regain Feared Status!".
# [https://web.archive.org/web/19990422184406/http://www.xsystems.com.au/wpaint/wpaint1/south.htm Gavin Costello, ''South Pacific's'', ''War Paint'', issue 1, January 1996.]
# WARPIG, NPPL Huntington Beach 2004, contemporary tournament coverage.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/19981206035630/http://www.xsystems.com.au/wpaint/wpaint4/masters.html Kez Svanberg, ''Australian Masters'', ''War Paint'', issue 4, November 1996.]
# Rob Maddox, "Interview: Rik Goldsworthy", Paintball.co.nz, April 2004. Archived interview; direct URL requires recovery.
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/1997Hall.htm Mercenaries Star, ''1997 Valhalla National Rankings''.]
# Valhalla National Team Ranking Methodology, Mercenaries Star historical archive.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020817070759/http://www.paintball.co.nz/north98.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 1998 Northland Paintball Open'', NZ Paintball Online.]
# [https://www.flickr.com/photos/whatever/albums/86811/ Martin Dannefaerd, "Huntington Beach 2004", Flickr. Collection of 28 photographs documenting Saints at the opening round of the 2004 NPPL series.]
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/1998Hall.htm Mercenaries Star, ''1998 Valhalla National Rankings''.]
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/1999Hall.htm Mercenaries Star, ''1999 Valhalla National Rankings''.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20010114131600/http://www.paintball.co.nz/north2000.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 2000 Northland Paintball Open'', Paintball.co.nz.]
# [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/VALHALLA/2000Hall.htm Mercenaries Star, ''2000 Valhalla National Rankings''.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20011217012758/http://www.paintball.co.nz/north2001.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 2001 Northland Paintball Open'', Paintball.co.nz.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020606114058/http://www.paintball.co.nz/cbtz.htm Dazz Marshall, ''Combat Zone 3-Man'', Paintball.co.nz, 27 January 2002.]
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/tournament/nppl/2004/hb/index.shtml WARPIG, ''NPPL Huntington Beach 2004'', 19–21 March 2004.]
# Rob Maddox, ''Interview: Rik Goldsworthy'', Paintball.co.nz, April 2004.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20051218181156/http://www.paintball.co.nz/articles/2004/wgtn2004a.htm Rob Maddox, ''The Wellington X-Cess Event 2004'', NZ Paintball Online, April 2004.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20041012125821/http://www.paintball.co.nz/articles/2004/qbw2004.htm Rob Maddox, ''Queen's Birthday Superball 2004'', Paintball.co.nz, June 2004.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20051218174533/http://www.paintball.co.nz/articles/2004/roto2004.htm Rob Maddox, ''Rotorua 2004'', Paintball.co.nz, October 2004.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20061014073853/http://www.paintball.org.nz/community/showthread.php?t=532 Dannefaerd, ''rankings'', New Zealand paintball forum, 1 May 2006. Attributed account of the 2005 series.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20130218103542/http://paintball.net.nz/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=323 ANTSMAN68, ''Prizegiving/afterfunction'', NZ P8NT, 19 April 2006.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20071011071333/http://p069.ezboard.com/December-super-5s-scores/fnzpaintballfrm6.showMessage?topicID=360.topic ''December Super 5s scores'', NZ Paintball Message Forum, results posted 4 December 2006.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/19980204164230/http://www.webel.co.nz/whamon.htm ''Who's Who: Amon Johnson'', New Zealand Paintball.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/19980204164230/http://www.webel.co.nz/whcaton.htm ''Who's Who: David Caton'', New Zealand Paintball.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/19980204164230/http://www.webel.co.nz/whian.htm ''Who's Who: Ian MacDonald'', New Zealand Paintball.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/19980204164230/http://www.webel.co.nz/whkeith.htm ''Who's Who: Keith Docherty'', New Zealand Paintball.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020421081654/http://www.paintball.co.nz/whkyn.htm ''Who's Who: Kyn Allan Jackson'', New Zealand Paintball.]


== External links ==
== External links ==


* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/whatever/albums/86811/ Saints at NPPL Huntington Beach 2004, photographic archive]
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/whatever/albums/86811/ Martin Dannefaerd's Saints at Huntington Beach 2004 photographs]
* [https://www.oocities.org/mercstar_nz/ Mercenaries Star historical New Zealand paintball archive]


[[Category:New Zealand paintball teams]]
[[Category:New Zealand paintball teams]]
[[Category:Paintball teams]]
[[Category:New Zealand paintball history]]
[[Category:Paintball in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Paintball in Auckland]]
[[Category:Historical paintball teams]]

Latest revision as of 06:02, 28 October 2026

Saints was a New Zealand tournament paintball organisation based in Auckland. It competed under the names Saints, Team Saints, Saints Gold, Saints Black and Saints Grey, and also fielded numbered three-player entries as Saints 1 and Saints 2.[1][2][3][4][5]

Saints won the New Zealand South Pacific Championships in 1995, multiple national tournaments during the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the 2005 New Zealand ranking series as reported by a participating organiser.[6][7][8][9][10]

Team identity

[edit]

Saints Gold, Saints Black and Saints Grey were squads of the same Saints organisation rather than unrelated teams. The numbered Saints 1 and Saints 2 entries at the 2002 Gathering were also separate squads from the organisation.[5]

The Valhalla rankings sometimes shortened Saints Grey to Grey. Those entries are treated as Saints Grey where they occur alongside the other Saints squads in the relevant New Zealand records. Published event names are retained in result tables rather than being silently standardised to Saints Gold.

The available sources do not establish a precise founding date.

History

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1995–1996

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Saints won the 1995 New Zealand South Pacific Championships, held in Wellington during Easter.[6]

Later in 1995, Saints competed in the Australian South Pacific Paintball Championships near Windsor, New South Wales. Seven ten-player teams contested the event, but Saints did not advance to the finals.[11]

On 21–22 October 1995, Saints won a seven-player tournament at Tactics, Bethells Beach, Auckland. The team won nine of its ten games and scored 910 points. The contemporary report identified Rik Goldsworthy, printed as Rick, as captain.[7]

Saints competed in the professional division of the 1996 Australian Masters at Skirmish Adventures in Helensburgh, New South Wales. The recovered report does not establish its final placing.[12]

1997 season

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At the 1997 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, Saints Black finished second with 866 points and Saints Grey finished fifth with 780 points. Jo Pitts was identified as Saints Black captain. The report noted that other Saints players were competing in Orlando.[1]

The Valhalla rankings placed Saints Black second with 79 ranking points. The associated Grey entry, identified here as Saints Grey, recorded 71 points.[13]

1998 season

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Saints won the 1998 Northland Open, finishing ahead of Paint Contractors.[14]

At the 1998 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, Saints Gold won with 1,290 points from a possible 1,300. Saints Grey finished third with 970 points. Rik Goldsworthy was identified as Saints Gold captain.[2]

Saints Gold led the 1998 Valhalla rankings with 92.5 points. Saints Grey, printed as Grey, recorded 78 points, while Saints Black recorded 64.[15]

1999 season

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At the 1999 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, Saints Gold finished second with 1,025 points, behind Paint Contractors. Saints Grey finished sixth with 715 points.[3]

Saints Gold received the Team of the Year award presented at the tournament. Marty Friend received the Player of the Year award for sportsmanship and attitude.[3]

Saints Gold led the 1999 Valhalla rankings with 91 points. Saints Grey, printed as Grey, recorded 77 points.[16]

2000 season

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Saints won the 2000 Northland Open at Jubilee Park in Whangārei.[17]

At the 2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, the entry printed as Saints won Division One after recording 1,000 preliminary points. The report does not publish the team's final-round points.[8]

Saints Gold led the 2000 Valhalla rankings with 91 points. Saints Grey, printed as Grey, recorded 82.5 points, and Saints Black recorded 50.[18]

2001 season

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Saints won the 2001 Northland Open at Jubilee Park on 25 February with 900 points.[19]

At the 2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals, Saints won Division One with 225 final-round points, ahead of Katipo, Jetts and Flashpoint. The report described the team as led by Rik Goldsworthy.[9]

The October 2001 Valhalla standings placed Saints Gold first in seven-player competition with 400.5 cumulative ranking points. Saints Gold also placed second in the five-player rankings with 211 points and fourth in the three-player rankings with 152.5 points.[4]

2002 competition

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At the Gathering at Actions Paintball on 26 January 2002, Saints fielded two three-player squads. Saints 2 won with 20 points, while Saints 1 shared second place with GPS and GBR on 16 points.[5]

The following day, Saints won the Combat Zone three-player tournament in Ardmore with 730 points.[20]

Saints also won the 2002 Northland Open, scoring 666 points and taking the Division One title. Rik Goldsworthy was identified as captain.[10]

2004 season

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Saints competed at the opening round of the 2004 National Professional Paintball League Super 7 Series at Huntington Beach, California, on 19–21 March. Captain Rik Goldsworthy subsequently reported that Saints won three of its eight games.[21][22]

At the 2004 Wellington X-Cess during Easter, Saints reached the Cup final and finished second after losing two consecutive games to the visiting American Evil Factory team.[23]

Saints was runner-up at the Auckland Queen's Birthday Superball at Kumeu. Its best-of-three final against Evil Factory NZ was tied after the first two games and the deciding game ended in a draw. Evil Factory NZ received first place on individual-game countback.[24]

Saints also competed at the Rotorua International Stadium tournament during Labour Weekend. The recovered report records a pool-stage loss to Evil Factory NZ but does not include Saints among the four Cup finalists or establish its final overall placing.[25]

2005 ranking series

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A retrospective account by a participating organiser identified two completed New Zealand ranking events in 2005. Saints won the Easter event with 50 ranking points and placed third at Kumeu with 43 points.[26]

The account placed Saints first for the season with 93 points, ahead of Hybrid on 46 and Menace on 43. It was posted during a later forum dispute rather than as an independently authenticated official standings sheet, so the result is attributed to its author.[26]

2006 season

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An organiser's post dated 19 April 2006 identified Saints as the Cup winner at the 2006 Wellington Easter Tournament. The recovered discussion does not provide a complete result table.[27]

Saints competed in Division One of the 2006 Super 5s. The final standings placed it fourth with 3,203 championship points, behind Menace, XXX and Phantom.[28]

Players and leadership

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Person Documented association
Rik Goldsworthy Saints captain in dated records from 1995, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2004.[2][7][9][10][22]
Jo Pitts Saints Black captain at the 1997 Nationals.[1]
Amon Johnson Identified as a Saints member in a contemporary player profile.[29]
David Caton Identified as a longstanding Saints member in a contemporary profile.[30]
Ian MacDonald Identified as a longstanding Saints member in a contemporary profile.[31]
Keith Docherty Identified as a Saints member; previously associated with Dragons Claw and The Goodies.[32]
Kyn Allan Jackson Identified as an Actions Paintball operator and Saints member.[33]

The sources document associations at different dates and do not establish a single roster covering every Saints squad or season.

Selected tournament results

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Year Competition Published entry Recorded result
1995 New Zealand South Pacific Championships Saints 1st.[6]
1995 Tactics seven-player tournament Saints 1st; 910 points.[7]
1997 New Zealand Paintball Nationals Saints Black 2nd; 866 points.[1]
1997 New Zealand Paintball Nationals Saints Grey 5th; 780 points.[1]
1998 1998 Northland Open Saints 1st.[14]
1998 New Zealand Paintball Nationals Saints Gold 1st; 1,290 points.[2]
1998 New Zealand Paintball Nationals Saints Grey 3rd; 970 points.[2]
1999 New Zealand Paintball Nationals Saints Gold 2nd; 1,025 points.[3]
1999 New Zealand Paintball Nationals Saints Grey 6th; 715 points.[3]
2000 Northland Open Saints 1st.[17]
2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals Saints Division One winner; 1,000 preliminary points.[8]
2001 2001 Northland Open Saints 1st; 900 points.[19]
2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals Saints Division One winner; 225 final-round points.[9]
2002 The Gathering Saints 2 1st; 20 points.[5]
2002 The Gathering Saints 1 Equal 2nd; 16 points.[5]
2002 Combat Zone three-player tournament Saints 1st; 730 points.[20]
2002 2002 Northland Open Saints 1st and Division One winner; 666 points.[10]
2004 2004 Wellington X-Cess Saints 2nd, Cup.[23]
2004 2004 Auckland Queen’s Birthday Superball Saints 2nd, Cup.[24]
2005 New Zealand ranking series Saints 1st in attributed season table; 93 points.[26]
2006 2006 Wellington Easter Tournament Saints Cup winner, as reported by the organiser.[27]
2006 Super 5s, Division One Saints 4th; 3,203 championship points.[28]

The table retains organiser-published squad names. Scores from different tournament and ranking systems are not directly comparable.

See also

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References

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  1. Rob Maddox, The 1997 Two Day NZ National “SplatMan” Tournament, Paintball.co.nz.
  2. Rob Maddox, The 1998 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament, Paintball.co.nz.
  3. Rob Maddox, The 1999 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament, Paintball.co.nz.
  4. Mercenaries Star, 2001 Valhalla National Rankings, October 2001.
  5. Dazz Marshall, The Gathering, Paintball.co.nz, 26 January 2002.
  6. Australian Paintballer, June–July 1995, “Sydney HEAT Make Friends in High Places”.
  7. Australian Paintballer, December 1995–February 1996, report on the Auckland seven-player tournament at Tactics, Bethells Beach.
  8. Rob Maddox, The 2000 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament, Paintball.co.nz.
  9. Rob Maddox, The 2001 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament, Paintball.co.nz.
  10. Rob Maddox, The 2002 Northland Paintball Open, Paintball.co.nz.
  11. Gavin Costello, South Pacific's, War Paint, issue 1, January 1996.
  12. Kez Svanberg, Australian Masters, War Paint, issue 4, November 1996.
  13. Mercenaries Star, 1997 Valhalla National Rankings.
  14. Rob Maddox, The 1998 Northland Paintball Open, NZ Paintball Online.
  15. Mercenaries Star, 1998 Valhalla National Rankings.
  16. Mercenaries Star, 1999 Valhalla National Rankings.
  17. Rob Maddox, The 2000 Northland Paintball Open, Paintball.co.nz.
  18. Mercenaries Star, 2000 Valhalla National Rankings.
  19. Rob Maddox, The 2001 Northland Paintball Open, Paintball.co.nz.
  20. Dazz Marshall, Combat Zone 3-Man, Paintball.co.nz, 27 January 2002.
  21. WARPIG, NPPL Huntington Beach 2004, 19–21 March 2004.
  22. Rob Maddox, Interview: Rik Goldsworthy, Paintball.co.nz, April 2004.
  23. Rob Maddox, The Wellington X-Cess Event 2004, NZ Paintball Online, April 2004.
  24. Rob Maddox, Queen's Birthday Superball 2004, Paintball.co.nz, June 2004.
  25. Rob Maddox, Rotorua 2004, Paintball.co.nz, October 2004.
  26. Dannefaerd, rankings, New Zealand paintball forum, 1 May 2006. Attributed account of the 2005 series.
  27. ANTSMAN68, Prizegiving/afterfunction, NZ P8NT, 19 April 2006.
  28. December Super 5s scores, NZ Paintball Message Forum, results posted 4 December 2006.
  29. Who's Who: Amon Johnson, New Zealand Paintball.
  30. Who's Who: David Caton, New Zealand Paintball.
  31. Who's Who: Ian MacDonald, New Zealand Paintball.
  32. Who's Who: Keith Docherty, New Zealand Paintball.
  33. Who's Who: Kyn Allan Jackson, New Zealand Paintball.
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