Swords keen to cut their losses

Home support will hopefully help the Northern Swords stay sharp when they face the Wai-Coa-Bay Stallions at Toll Stadium tomorrow, kicking off at 2.30pm.

This weekend's match is the Swords' best chance of picking up a win from their remaining three games, searching for their second win in two years.

The Swords have tended to be in touch early on in their Pirtek NZRL National Premiership games this season, only to lose their way in the second half.

However coach Mark Freeman hopes with the support of Northlanders the Swords can stick at it for the full 80 minutes.

"[Playing at home] helps a great deal, there's somebody there backing you," he explained. "There are a lot of guys here busting their guts doing the best they can and to hear someone else backing them is good for moral.

"The games we've been in, we've been in it until the second half and the floodgates open up, hopefully having some home support will help us hang in there."

For Freeman and the Swords, it has been a tough season - although no worse than any other year - after suffering 38-14, 46-6, and 74-16 losses.

However, the Stallions haven't had a season to write home about either. They have been dealt 56-0, 38-20, and 68-0 losses while picking up a 40-28 win.

This weekend sees the Swords looking to plug the holes in their defence and score points.

"It's been back to the drawing board and working on patterns and everything on defence.

"We're going in to make a show ... it doesn't matter what side we come up against we can score points."

Freeman felt that despite their form going in, it was about supporting locals as they attempt to put their best foot forward.

"Our halves are coming together, Dean [Schreurs] and Dan [Fulop] - who played Swords 17s last year, and is 18 now.

"Fulop and Tumoana Halkyard are down Auckland playing for Pt Chev and Northcote, they're trying to advance their careers and they've come back to play for us. They're two blokes to look out for in the future."

Balancing out the trio of youngsters in Fulop, Schreurs, and Halkyard is the old head of Joe Rau who comes back into the side.

Joining Rau and the youngsters is hard hitting enforcer Jordan Hool while Hori Tuhoro and Ed Wilson from Takahiwai will make their Swords debut.

The Swords will also welcome back dynamic centre Caleb Henare. Henare, a dual code player registered with both Hikurangi Stags and Mid Northern rugby, is a quality centre who on the day can turn a game.

Rugby League Northland general manager Alex Smits hoped Northlanders would turn out also, saying that is the support that mattered.

"These are tough times for the Swords, we need our Northland league public to get down to Toll this weekend and give them support from the sidelines," he said.

"When things are tough, knowing you have your whanau backing you can be a tremendous moral boost."