Locke hopes to reward loyalty

The Vodafone Warriors' Kevin Locke is hoping to use the trial game against the Burleigh Bears at Toll Stadium tonight to show some of the spark that went missing during the 2010 NRL season.
Following an outstanding 2008 season with the Vodafone Junior Warriors, Locke made his first grade debut in 2009 and last year, played his first full NRL season with the Warriors.
However, while there were patches of brilliance, the 21-year-old failed to make the same impact playing first grade football that he had made with the Junior Warriors.
But coach Ivan Cleary and his teammates kept their faith in the young fullback and Locke is determined to reward their loyalty in him.
"Last year was pretty rough but this year has started well ... pre-season has been going well, the boys played well in our first two trial games [against Newcastle Knights, drawing 22-22 in Greymouth, and against Parramatta Eels in Rotorua, where the Warriors won 24-4], and the new players have fitted in well to our style of play. Personally, I feel a lot fitter at this stage of the season than I was last year," Locke said.
During the offseason and pre-season, Locke said he had been working hard to improve his weaknesses.
"I've been trying to improve my defensive game in general and I'm feeling a lot more confident ... trial games like tonight's one are all about trying things that you haven't been confident to previously," he said.
Locke, who goes out with Black Sticks player Jasmin McQuinn, spends a lot of time in Northland as her family is based in Pataua and Hikurangi.
"We try to get up here as much as possible - I do plenty of fishing with Jasmin's dad - I'm his boatman and it's something in common we have that we like to do."
Locke was looking forward to playing at Whangarei's Toll Stadium, in front of McQuinn's family.
"They have been great supporters of mine for the past two years - despite them being more a rugby family than league - so it is nice to be able to play up there - so it's not so far for them to travel.
"Coming up here means a lot to me and a lot to the game in general."
Tonight's main game between the Vodafone Warriors and the Burleigh Bears kicks off at 5pm, at Toll Stadium, while the Vodafone Junior Warriors play the Otahuhu Leopards at 3pm.