Commitment key to sharper Swords - Coach

The message to the Northern Swords Premier squad is simple: Be committed and fortunes should change.

Incoming head coach Jim Larkin believes this year's squad has the ability to break the Swords' losing record of about 18 in the National Provincial campaign.

"We've got to hopefully change their whole thinking, that's the key to it," said Larkin, who is in his first season coaching the Premier Swords. "What has gone on is all the big hidings they've had, now it's time for a whole lot of new guys to come into the team and they're on the right page and get them to believe in what we're trying to do.

"It's going to be a whole new look ... I want to change that [losing record], I want commitment first. We want to be competitive, in the past we've been getting a few hidings but I want to change that."

Larkin, who had a hand in the development and rise of Kiwi players Sam McKendry and Elijah Taylor, seems the right man for the job after having coached the Swords 15s and 17s sides, from which a number of the premier squad's players have come through.

"There are a few boys I'm bringing up from the 17s who're ready to step up into the football, their enthusiasm as 18-19 year olds is huge. They've got the talent, the game [rugby league] is not hard, it is how hard we make it.

"If we get things right, by winning a few games, and we do well that's going to change the way a lot of people think of region, and that's a good thing. All it takes is a bit of hard work and commitment."

Rugby League Northland general manager Alex Smits agrees with Larkin that there needs to be a marked improvement in the commitment stakes.

"We've chosen a lot of the young guns because we're really trying to focus on the players coming through because it is a long-term plan we have," Smits said. "I think Jim being coach is exciting because he can get a lot out of the guys and he has coached a lot of the guys [in the squad] through their youth.

"[With this squad] we've really cast the net wide, it's not that we're not being picky but it's that there are a number of players out there who we feel can do this team justice and it's about seeing that."

The Swords start their campaign against the South Island Scorpions on August 25 at Toll Stadium, with a two-week break before their next clash.

Northern Swords squad

Herewini Edmonds, Linn Hanapo, Jordan Holtz, Joziah Nego, Finlay Penitoa, Shane Sirett, Moses Cooper, Joachim Edmonds, David McCullough, Steven Rau, Innocent Tuimavave, Tyson Wihongi, Scott Cameron, Sam Henry, Tasman Nathan, Desmond Reynolds, Jarryd Tuhou, Kurtis Tito, Jaydenn Bentley-Hape, Wilson Hona, Brodee Palmer, Tieimi Ransfield, Kerisitiano Arona, Isaac Ashley, Allan Heighway, Piripi Parangi, Holli Rudolph, Soatame Taufa, Nathan Trent, Christopher Vaasili, Shelford Edwards, Taoho Kake, Jake Mau, Solomone Palu, Joe Paniora, Robbie Paniora, Patrick Tane, Leeroy Pontai, Colin Baker, Leroy Broughton-Rankin, Reece Bermingham, Liam Collins, Michael Gawn, Sharif Mangu, Joshua Poasa, Micheal Michael Salase, Charles Shelford, Cecil Shelford, Mike Hauraki, Kyle Hool, Jordan Hool, Para Murray, Charles Tarau, Wiremu Te Iringa, Hori Tuhoro.