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Ash Dixon and Mark Ozich of Hawke s Bay celebrate after beating Northland in the Championship final at McLean Park in November.
Hawke s Bay coach Mark Ozich grew up in a household where football was the dominant code, not rugby, owing to his Croatian heritage. And, by his own admission, Ozich was an average rugby player when he did develop an interest in the 15-man game in his high school years. There is no certainly ‘former All Black’ stamp on the 42-year-old s resume.
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Mark Ozich has a year left on his Hawke s Bay contract but if he continues to be successful the suitors will start to knock on his door.