League: Local flavour for big test

Northland's Adam Blair (left) is likely to get plenty of support from Northlanders during tomorrow's clash against Samoa. Here, Blair catches up with teammate Kevin Proctor at the mayoral welcome. Photo / John Stone

Memories of rolling down the grass embankment at Toll Stadium as a kid will be far from hometown favourite Adam Blair's mind when he pulls on the Kiwis jersey in Whangarei tomorrow.

Blair will instead be preparing himself to put on a special performance in front of his home crowd, something he is yet to do in his 28-test career.

The former Otangarei Primary and Whangarei Boys' High School student hoped Northlanders would get along to Toll Stadium to support the Kiwis and Samoa fixture, after all tomorrow's Four Nations match is essentially a trial for the region ahead of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

"Northland is a massive leaguey town and they're getting behind it, hopefully it can be a massive night," Blair said, fresh from being swamped on Kensington Park by primary and intermediate pupils at the inaugural Northland Champions Primary School Festival run by Rugby League Northland.

"Any chance [Northlanders] get to get a big match up here we should put our hands up for it.

"It's obviously an honour to be back at home. I grew up playing on these fields here and had a game on Toll Stadium, which is the old Okara Park, so I'm just really excited."

As a youngster, Blair remembers playing rugby on Kensington Park in bare feet and enjoying a can of coke and a pie. Something the 28-year-old won't be enjoying prior to tomorrow's match.

Blair has proven popular with friends and family wanting to catch up with him and a large chunk of the Kiwis' ticket allocation has been snapped up by his supporters.

"I'm more than happy to put myself out there when I'm back in my home town. It's good. I'm enjoying everyone's support.

"I'll have a lot of friends and family coming down, mum's come over from Aus, my brothers and sisters.

"I know everyone is pumped for the test match and I'm looking forward to it."

Much of the pre-game talk has centred on the physical contest that takes place each time these two sides meet, but Blair believes the Kiwis need to keep their composure.

"Every time we play against the Samoans it's always a physical battle but, for ourselves, it's about not getting caught up in that.

"You don't want to get caught up in all the emotion of the game. If we just go out there and play our role, do our jobs and stick to our structures we'll go well."

"It's just about going out there and enjoying yourself. I'm one of the older guys in the team. I know that there's not much time there for me and there's a lot of good kids coming through.

"For me this tournament's about enjoying myself and just living up the moments I have left with the Kiwis jersey."

Kiwis: Peta Hiku, Jason Nightingale, Dean Whare, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Manu Vatuvei, Kieran Foran, Shaun Johnson, Jesse Bromwich, Issac Luke, Adam Blair, Simon Mannering (c), Kevin Proctor, Jason Taumalolo. Interchange: Lewis Brown, Suaia Matagi, Martin Taupau, Tohu Harris, Bodene Thompson.

Samoa: Tim Simona, Antonio Winterstein, Tim Lafai, Joey Leilua, Daniel Vidot, Ben Roberts, Kyle Stanley, Issac Liu, Pita Godinet, David Fa'alogo (c), Frank Pritchard, Lesson Ah Mau, Josh McGuire. Interchange: Dunamis Lui, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Sauaso Sue, Mose Masoe, Dominique Peyroux, Penani Manumalealii.

Toll Stadium

*Gates open: 1:15pm.
*NZ 16s v Toa Samoa 16s, 1.30pm.
*Northland Champion Schools final, 3pm.
*Kiwis v Toa Samoa, 4pm.